


Touch in the Dark

by nununips



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Eventual Smut, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Mentioned Bangtan Boys | BTS Ensemble, Mentioned EXO (EXO), Mentioned GOT7 Ensemble, Minor Character Death, Most definitely, Not Beta Read, author is slow to update, did i use k.will as a bad guy for being a dick to kihyun during no.mercy, everyone is having a Very Bad Day, is the ceo of starship also a bad guy?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:08:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 58,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25396681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nununips/pseuds/nununips
Summary: Hunters become the hunted.Kihyun and Changkyun are thrown into a trap and their lives are completely turned upside down.  As Changkyun struggles to navigate being turned into the thing they were taught to hunt for years, Kihyun holds on tighter than ever and refuses to let go.  Beyond their own struggles, they're faced with betrayal, a cover-up going beyond anything they could have imagined before.
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Minhyuk, Im Changkyun | I.M/Yoo Kihyun, Lee Hoseok | Wonho/Son Hyunwoo | Shownu
Comments: 85
Kudos: 134





	1. shadow of a doubt

**Author's Note:**

> Yes hi hello! Thanks so much for checking this out, I really hope you enjoy. This is the first Monsta X story I'm sharing here and I'm honestly very nervous about it, but I'm an anxious person in general, so. I'm still actively writing this, have the first few chapters nearly ready, and hope to update semi-regularly. 
> 
> Also I apologize for being not so great at summaries and tags. Other group ensembles will make appearances as the story goes on as well. If there's anything else that anyone thinks should be tagged or an added trigger warning for, please let me know! Otherwise, please enjoy! Thank you all for reading!

“Kihyun, stop!” 

Rain pounded down on him, soaking him to the bone. It made it hard to see, water and hair slipping into his eyes, pooling on the blacktop beneath the body he had pinned down. Kihyun’s hand remained frozen, white-knuckled grip over the handle of his knife. Changkyun’s voice had broken through the rumble of rain. Kihyun was breathing hard, only stopped because of how desperate Changkyun’s voice had sounded. 

“Don’t kill him,” Changkyun pleaded. It wasn’t often that the younger sounded so scared. Perhaps that was what made Kihyun hesitate as he was now. 

“He wants to kill you,” Kihyun forced out, teeth clenched together in a sneer. His eyes didn’t move away from the man beneath him, the man he had known for so long and grew to admire. The same that had looked out for Kihyun and Changkyun until now- Shownu. The blade of his knife pressed lightly into the skin of Shownu’s neck, not drawing blood just yet, but the threat was real. Shownu, who was silent and still where he lay, the rain washing the blood off of his face from a busted brow. “I won’t let him do that.” 

“Kihyun,” Shownu tried, his quiet voice still audible over the rain.

“Shut up!” Kihyun shouted in return, the hand gripping his knife starting to shake. He blamed the rain hitting his face, refusing to acknowledge that tears were burning his eyes. 

“He’s still our hyung,” Changkyun wavered in Kihyun’s peripheral. Briefly, he glanced at the other to see the wound across his chest was already healing. Shownu hadn’t put it there, but it had been what slowed them down in the first place. Changkyun was going to be weaker after it was healed, and Kihyun would not allow anything to happen to him. “He’s still Shownu,” Changkyun sounded pained. “You don’t want to kill him, you know you don’t,” the way his voice cracked made Kihyun’s heart sink. Changkyun was hurt that Shownu was there, supposedly after both of them. Hurt that he and Kihyun were fighting at all. 

It had been an impressive feat when Kihyun managed to pin Shownu at all. There was a sneaking suspicion at the back of his mind that Shownu had only allowed it because this was Kihyun. Their scuffle had been brief but intense, both landing blows and Kihyun managing to draw blood. Once he got the upper hand, adrenaline rushing through him and the urge to keep Changkyun safe at all costs as his driving force, he had drawn his blade. 

But now, all he could hear was Changkyun. All he could see was Shownu under him, dark eyes staring up at him. There was no challenge there, no dare that told Kihyun to just carry the act out. All Kihyun could see was a sad sort of resignation, an acceptance that his best friend was going to kill him and that was okay. As his hand trembled, Kihyun knew Changkyun was right. He didn’t want to kill Shownu, or hurt him. All Kihyun wanted was to protect Changkyun. To keep his promise that he would do just that, no matter what. He swallowed around the knot in his throat, felt his stomach twisting up like he was going to be sick. Everything about this situation was wrong in so many different ways. 

None of them were supposed to be there. None of them were supposed to be like this. 

In the downpour, Kihyun cried out his frustrations, shouting into the rain and wind. 

\--A Few Weeks Earlier-- 

Changkyun grunted as his back collided with the foam mats on the floor. Over him, he could hear the sound of Kihyun’s delighted laugh, clearly pleased that he had managed to toss Changkyun so easily. 

“I swear, you’re insufferable,” Changkyun huffed in annoyance. Kihyun only grinned widely as he stuck his hand out to help the other up. Annoyed as he seemed, Changkyun still took Kihyun’s hand and hoisted himself up off the floor. “You only try that on me because we’re the same size.” 

“If you say so,” Kihyun hummed, still pleased with himself. “Considering I’ve managed to best you in every sparring match so far, I think you’re just jealous.” 

“And you call me a brat,” Changkyun scrunched his face up, still holding Kihyun’s hand. “Try that move on Shownu and see what happens,” he faked a pout, deciding two could play at the bratty game. Was he going to admit that he was actually very pleased at how Kihyun could manhandle him and throw him around? Absolutely not. So instead, he pouted until the other could only laugh more and kiss him. 

“You are a brat,” Kihyun said, the tip of his nose still pressed to Changkyun’s. Most of their training and sparring matches ended like this, especially when they were the only ones in the gym. Their compound had plenty of its own equipment, given what a Hunter had to be able to do, but they tried to work around times when they had more free space to themselves. Kihyun kissed Changkyun again, chaste and quick, but still rewarding enough for the younger. 

Daring to be a bit more forward, Changkyun slipped his hands under Kihyun’s shirt, the pads of his thumbs pressing over the sharp cut of Kihyun’s hips. This elicited a soft sound from the elder, who in turn pulled Changkyun in closer. Instead of teasing Kihyun for it the younger only moved in, crowding Kihyun until his back was pressed to the wall behind them. 

Kihyun carded his fingers through Changkyun’s hair, scratching gently along his scalp. All at once, Kihyun tugged at Changkyun’s hair as he pulled him into a much more heated kiss. Hands pushed up Kihyun’s shirt as they trailed over his toned abs, over the dips and curves of muscle that was always so hidden- much to Changkyun’s chagrin. The hand in his hair pulled a bit harder, tugging his head back and exposing the long expanse of his tanned neck. Just as he felt Kihyun’s teeth graze over sensitive skin, there was another sound behind him- someone had cleared their throat. 

“What have I told you two about post-workout screwing around?” 

Kihyun nearly took a chunk out of Changkyun’s neck from how startled he was, quickly pulling back and jumping at the voice of Shownu appearing in the gym. Changkyun, almost used to being caught at this point, just groaned and rolled his eyes. 

“Don’t do it in the gym,” Changkyun finally replied, tossing Shownu a look over his shoulder. The eldest nodded his head, arms folded over his chest.

“Don’t do it in the gym,” Shownu gave them a kind smile after that. He wasn’t mad in the slightest- perhaps a bit annoyed at the situation but nothing more. Shownu had always been hard to anger or egg on beyond simple annoyances. “Kihyun, you don’t have to hide from me,” he added once he noticed the other had yet to come out from behind Changkyun’s shoulders. 

Kihyun, for all his confidence and poise, was easily embarrassed when he was caught trying to leave hickies on Changkyun. Shownu honestly thought it was funny. 

“So, what’s up?” Changkyun asked when the silence started to grow unbearable. Kihyun moved to stand beside him, but he was red all the way up to his ears. Oh, how little did he know that Changkyun was so far from done with him. No way was he going to let this interruption ruin the moment completely. 

“Commander Kim wants to speak with you two,” Shownu looked between them, realizing how ominous the words seemed a moment later. “Ah, but it’s not for anything bad. You’re not in any trouble.” 

“The Commander?” Kihyun sounded suspicious. It wasn’t often that Commander Kim asked to speak to any team directly. Typically, the commander addressed larger groups or worked with higher ranking hunters on harder targets. Commander Kim was a bit of a mysterious figure to most of the hunters like Kihyun and Changkyun. The pair had been partnered together for years now and never once had they been asked to speak to the highest ranking officers in their organization. 

“Why not General Son?” Changkyun looked just as confused as Kihyun. Shownu knew these questions would come up, but he hadn’t really prepared an answer just yet. Nor could he hide the wince completely from Kihyun’s gaze. “He usually gives our orders. And our patrol route hasn’t changed in months,” he pointed out, eyebrows furrowing together. 

“I know,” Shownu nodded, clearly thinking something over in his mind. He looked pinched now, stuck between trying to do his job properly and holding back what he knew to be happening. Realizing he had been foolish to think he could talk to the two of them without it backfiring, Shownu started to chew on the inside of his cheek. Truth be told, he had more information that explained the situation, but he wasn’t exactly supposed to divulge said information to anyone. 

Having been recently promoted to the role of captain for his small team (Kihyun and Changkyun included), he had seen an influx of information and reports coming to him. Perhaps sometimes, he even wanted to see more reports. But more than anything, he wanted more time out in the field, more time to see to his own secrets that got to live on the outside. Instead, he was met with the newest report of General Son and that was still weighing heavily on his mind. 

The main problem, however, was that Kihyun and Changkyun were both entirely too smart for their own good. While any hunter in the X Organization might have been curious or worried over their commander wanting a private conversation, few would really question it. The two standing there though? They were going to be suspicious and demand answers. There was no way around that and Shownu could feel the urge to explain bubbling up even more. 

“Alright,” Shownu took in a deep breath as he leaned in closer, even if they were the only ones in the gym. “This stays between us, alright? I trust you two both to keep it that way,” he glanced between them, as both of their heads nodded up and down. “General Son hasn’t come back from his last station,” he spoke in low tones. “He’s not responding to any attempts to contact him either, and from what I’ve heard,” Shownu paused and looked down at the ground. “There wasn’t any sign left of him.” 

A pregnant pause passed between the small group as the news settled in. Their General had always been good to them, working with different groups and partners to make sure they were well trained in handling all things vampires, while still going out on his own as well. He had been the one to ingrain in all three of them that not all vampires needed to die. Many lived just fine amongst humans without killing or causing mass chaos. Humans too, Son had told them, were not always ignorant to vampires existing. Sure, a few here and there knew, some speculated or toyed with the idea, and plenty more just didn’t pay any attention at all. 

It was for those reasons that in a handful of cases, vampires could just go about their business. Some even worked in tandem with the organization, helping set up appropriate “blood-banks” for others to get the proper nourishment without hurting anyone in the process. These locations would be marked as safe and protected by X, and no vampires there would be harmed as long as they followed the rules. Other vampires still drank from humans, but never killed if only to avoid heavier punishments if they were caught. The organization had strict rules in place, not giving vampires much room for mistakes. General Son had been one to teach them, however few he could anyway, that not all situations needed to result in anyone dying. 

Changkyun broke the silence first. “No sign? Nothing at all?” 

“Blood on the floor,” Shownu added, though it sounded like the words were stuck in his throat. Son had been like a father to Shownu especially, to the point of Shownu even taking his last name when he was small. Shownu had been orphaned by a vampire, leading to General Son taking him in at a young age. “Samples were turned into the labs to verify if it’s his or not. There wasn’t any sign of struggle, but that doesn’t always mean anything.” 

As much as he wasn’t supposed to tell them any of this, Shownu felt a weight lifting off his shoulders having gotten to speak about it. It seemed to give them a bit of peace as well. 

“So the commander is taking complete control for the time being,” Kihyun finished and Shownu nodded. “You’re our captain now, why can’t you be the one handing out our orders?” 

“I had the same question, but I was told it wasn’t part of my job,” Shownu looked annoyed at that, but he swept it away as quickly as it appeared. “I know it’s not unusual to lose someone in our...occupation, but I guess it’s different when it’s a general,” Shownu tried to smile at them, but it seemed he was reassuring himself more than either of them. “Just report to him ASAP, okay?” 

“Yeah,” Changkyun and Kihyun nodded in unison. Shownu excused himself not long after that, citing more things to take care of. He didn’t leave without reminding them to stop trying to fuck in the gym, which resulted in Kihyun shouting after him. 

\--

Changkyun stood with Kihyun, relatively cleaner than they had been in the gym, outside of the Commander’s office door. Something was still sitting wrong with the younger in all of this, even though he didn’t doubt that Shownu told them all he could. It was strange, with all of the others capable of taking over, that they would report straight to the Commander. While neither of them had voiced their concerns just yet, Changkyun could tell Kihyun was just as put off about the situation. 

Kihyun was the one to knock, rapping lightly on the door a few times. A voice responding, giving them permission to enter. As they did, Changkyun dared to glance around the office. It was sparsely decorated, a few pictures and plaques hanging on the wall, but nothing overly personal. No one really knew anything about Kim Shi Dae. He was just their leader and that was all they ever needed to know, apparently. 

“Ah, thank you two for coming here so promptly. Shownu told me you two were some of the best,” he smiled at them. The pleasantries didn’t fool Changkyun for a moment. It wasn’t hard to see when someone was polite for the sake of being polite. People in positions of power often held that artificial sort of air about them, knowing they needed to be at least decent to have an ounce of respect, but there was no warmth in their words. No welcoming, no altruism. Changkyun was used to that with a lot of the older hunters in their organization. 

“Of course, sir,” Kihyun bowed his head, nudging at Changkyun to do the same. The younger followed but kept his eyes forward after that. He didn’t care to stare at the commander behind his big desk, or acknowledge how shady this whole thing was. “Captain Son said we should report as soon as possible, so here we are. He mentioned you had orders for us?” 

Changkyun shifted his eyes to glance at Kihyun. Kihyun, who in all of his feisty glory, was very good at kissing up to people. Really, he was just better at playing the game than Changkyun, able to turn on the politeness and carry out every social etiquette rule that ever existed. Changkyun, while not terrible in social situations, typically stuck to being quiet. He didn’t interact with many, didn’t always try to cause a scene or anything like that. No, he was far more observant than anyone gave him credit for. 

“Yes,” Commander Kim nodded. “I’m afraid I can’t give you more details as to why, but for now, I will be handling missions,” he explained with the same calm and even tone. “We’ve had some trouble recently, which you will be filled in on at a later date. Unfortunately, as I explained to Shownu as well, there are details that need to remain private until we can make sure all of our information is correct.” 

“We understand, sir,” Kihyun nodded with a straight face. Changkyun was also good at that. If he wanted a blank face, it would happen and nothing could take it away. Neither of them showed any sign of knowing about General Son or anything else Shownu had told them earlier. The commander, apparently pleased with that response, went on. 

“I’m reassigning you two to a newer area. It’s near the warehouse district. We’ve seen a rise in vampiric activity there with this...recent change of events. So far, we don’t have any solid leads on a particular vampire, but the area needs to be monitored.”

“What should we do if we find any?” Changkyun spoke up that time, finally looking their commander in the face. “And are we equipped enough to handle any situation with the limited information we’re being given?” 

“You are,” the elder spoke, a smile on his face despite how cold his tone was. “I have full faith that you will be fine no matter what. You two have a near flawless record for how long you’ve been in the field. Shownu recommended you as his best. Are you contradicting what your captain is saying, Changkyun?” 

“Not at all,” Changkyun frowned. He didn’t like talking to authority figures like this. It was too easy for words to get twisted and turned around on him. He could feel Kihyun’s eyes on him, probably warning him to watch his mouth. “I’m trying to understand the situation. With what we’ve been told, this seems to be a much higher risk than what we typically handle.” 

“You would be correct,” Commander Kim nodded. “To answer your first question, if you find any vampires in the area, they are to be terminated immediately.” 

“Immediately?” Kihyun echoed. The commander held his hand, cutting him off from saying more. 

“No questions asked. Those creatures are not allowed in the area, and I want them dealt with quickly and efficiently. Understood?” 

“Yes, sir,” both the hunters spoke in return. Changkyun felt his frustration rising, blood simmering just under the surface. He wasn’t at a boiling point, not yet, but he was annoyed at how little they had to work with. 

“Here are your new routes and orders,” the commander slid a file towards them, letting Kihyun pick it up and look it over. “Now, unless you have other questions, you are free to go. Thank you both for coming in. Your new route starts tomorrow evening.” 

And with that, they bowed and left. There was nothing else that could be done. 

\--

“What a bag of dicks,” Changkyun muttered as he walked with Kihyun back to their room. All of the hunters had a place in the barracks, set up like efficiency apartments. He and Kihyun had shared one for a while. It’s easier now, given that they sleep in the same bed instead of two anymore. 

“We’ll work with what we have for now. I think I’ll bring it up to Shownu, make sure he’s aware of this kill order we’re being given,” Kihyun was still staring at the orders in their file as they walked. Changkyun had to nudge him aside now and then to avoid other people or doors left open. It was second nature for him after so many years of Kihyun walking around with his nose in a book and focused on something else. 

“You think he can do anything about it?” 

“Honestly? No,” Kihyun sighed. The file finally flipped shut, Kihyun’s eyes coming up as he stared down the hall. It was quiet in their hall of the barracks, others either already settled or out on their own routes. “He would try, but I doubt it would do any good.” 

Changkyun hummed at that, pushing open the door to their dorm. Kihyun filed in behind him, both quiet as they went about kicking off shoes and changing from sweaty clothes. They could both go on about their frustrations, but neither did. Walking into their own space was a time to clear their heads, think of something else for a little while. They would have to pack up and be ready for their next route tomorrow night. But for now, they were off the clock and only had each other to focus on. 

“You wanna shower while I make dinner?” Kihyun asked as he dug around through their few cabinets. There were meals provided, but Kihyun liked to cook for Changkyun and the younger never questioned or complained about it. 

“Not very hungry yet,” Changkyun padded his way across the room until he was standing behind Kihyun. “Mostly just tired after that,” he rested his forehead on Kihyun’s shoulder, arms going around his boyfriend’s waist. 

“I’m almost disappointed,” Kihyun chuckled. He settled one hand over Changkyun’s on his waist. “I thought you’d make some terrible pun about eating me for dinner.” 

Oh, so that was the game Kihyun wanted to play. 

“What kind of monster do you take me for, Kihyun?” Changkyun lifted his head, gasping in mock offense. “I only provide quality puns and you know it. How dare you.” 

“Mm, no pun is quality Changkyunnie,” Kihyun shifted in his hold, turning so he was facing Changkyun. “Your’s are especially shitty, but that’s why I love you.” 

“That’s it, we’re breaking up. I won’t stay with someone that doesn’t appreciate my puns,” Changkyun pouted hard, turning his nose up at Kihyun. It only lasted a moment before Kihyun erupted into a fit of laughter. Changkyun had been semi-serious before. He was tired after that brief interaction with Commander Kim. Leave it to Kihyun to make him laugh and forget about that in a matter of seconds. 

“Oh no, please, not that,” Kihyun sighed and pouted back at Changkyun. It was always cute when he tried to pull off a pout, if only because his walnut-chin appeared, which Changkyun found to be the cutest thing on earth. 

“Kiss me and I’ll reconsider.” 

Changkyun didn’t have to say it twice.

Kihyun cupped Changkyun’s cheeks in his small hands, pulling him into a kiss. He held Changkyun there for a moment before his arms wrapped around his neck, pressing into another heated kiss. Changkyun felt Kihyun prod at his lips more, parting them to taste more of the other. Despite his best efforts, Changkyun was letting out a low sound that rumbled in his chest, Kihyun’s tongue exploring his mouth and licking across his teeth. 

It only broke for a moment when Changkyun suddenly hoisted Kihyun up around his waist, sitting his boyfriend on the counter. From there, he started to kiss Kihyun’s neck, nipping down the slender line of it, grazing his teeth across the spots he knew made Kihyun squirm the most. It had always been sensitive and Changkyun maybe had a bit of a thing for biting. 

His hands worked up Kihyun’s shirt, easily lifting it and pulling it off completely before he placed more open mouthed kisses down the new expanse of exposed skin. Kihyun tilted his head back, lightly hitting the cabinets behind him. Something between a sigh and a moan slipped out of his pretty kiss bruised lips. It was music to Changkyun’s ears. He worked all the way down, daring to bite a few more times, Kihyun jumping a little and starting to squirm on the counter. 

“Kyunnie,” He whined, his toes already curling, legs dangling off the counter. Changkyun had crouched himself down, his hands now spread across Kihyun’s thighs, squeezing them as he went. “Please,” his voice was a breathy whisper, clearly already getting a little hard at how much attention Changkyun was giving him. 

“I’m savoring my dinner,” Changkyun purred in that low voice of his, taking a moment to smirk up at Kihyun through smoky gray hair. Kihyun scoffed and flicked his ear, but didn’t complain beyond that. Changkyun decided he had to say more. “I’m gonna suck your dick like a gogurt.” 

Kihyun almost shrieked. A well placed foot to his chest had Changkyun falling back onto his ass and soon his lap was full of a flustered and horny Kihyun. 

“Don’t you ever compare my dick to yogurt again, do you hear me?” 

“It was gogurt, but go off I guess,” Changkyun retorted, not even caring that he was a bit winded from hitting the floor. Kihyun groaned loudly, smacking Changkyun’s chest but not hard enough to hurt. “Do you not want me to-” 

“Shut up and get back to work, before you say something even worse,” Kihyun narrowed his eyes but there was a playful gleam to them. Changkyun moved himself up again, dragging Kihyun around so he could go for his original goal, more than happy to please. 

\--

Their new route started rather uneventfully. It was quiet and still around the warehouses at night. The district had several buildings that were out of commission with broken out windows, rusting pipes, every stereotypical thing that abandoned buildings had. It was an ideal hideout when you had nowhere else to go, which meant that Kihyun and Changkyun hadn’t really found anything the first few nights. 

At most, they had come across a few homeless folks that were asked to leave the area. They were still operating on vampires being there, lurking around the corner, and transients were often the best targets. By the fourth night of patrolling, both of them were starting to get a little more anxious than anticipated. 

“You know, I thought we’d find more,” Changkyun kept his voice quiet even as they scanned another empty building. Given that the doors had been broken off the hinges- clearly broken, too, not just rusted off, they had decided to do a thorough search. “The Commander made it sound like this was more pressing. A kill order, a rise in activity, but there’s…” 

“Nothing,” Kihyun finished. “Nothing that says a vampire has even been here,” Kihyun frowned hard as he scanned down a dark hallway. “One of the men we moved the first night said nothing had happened there. That he had been here for over a week and never saw strange activity.” 

Of course, neither of them had used the word vampire. But even if it was covered or the vampire was careful, someone almost always noticed what was going on. A strange death, blood when there shouldn’t be any, things like that. Small things that could be missed but still didn’t belong. 

“Maybe we just have to wait it out. If this one is smart, they could be hiding more with us being here,” Changkyun suggested. It was almost more to placate himself than Kihyun, because none of this was making any sense. “It’s still strange there’s no signs at all for an active area.” 

“What did your father have to say about it?” Kihyun asked suddenly. Changkyun looked surprised, eyes widening as he tried to pull out an answer. 

“How did you know I talked to him?” Changkyun gawked at him still, thoroughly confused. 

“Babe, you snuck off before dinner and were gone for a while. There’s only a few reasons you disappear for hours at a time, and one of them is talking to your father. I just happened to guess correctly this time,” Kihyun explained, somehow looking smug while doing so. Kihyun had always been able to read him like a book, once they got closer. 

“Fine,” Changkyun muttered. “He sounded confused,” he kicked a stray piece of cement, chipped off of one of the support pillars. Changkyun’s father was one of the lead scientists at one of their sister facilities. He had been part of the team developing research around vampires and how they worked. Sometimes there was even talk of trying to reverse vampirism, or at least stop the blood-lust, but nothing had come of it. While he didn’t have access that the higher ranking hunters had, his father had more information about vampires. He was specialized in it, knew their behaviors and methods, all of it. At one point, it had almost been expected of Changkyun to take after his father and go into the research field with him. 

But then Changkyun met Kihyun and Shownu, and the rest was history. 

“He did hear something about a spike in activity, and knew about General Son being gone. He, um, confirmed that the blood they found at the location was his,” Changkyun grew quiet for a moment, letting the news settle in. They hadn’t seen Shownu since starting their new route, so it was hard to tell how he was handling the news, or if he even knew at all. When Changkyun noticed Kihyun opening his mouth to ask something, he answered before he could. “We talked in private, so don’t worry about anyone hearing us.” 

Changkyun took a deep breath before continuing. “There’s been some new developments on weapons to use against vampires that the commander has been eager to get into the field. And they’re trying to find what keeps vampires from aging,” it hadn’t been the first time that was a main topic of research, but it went away every so often. Seemed futile to some, as there was never a straight forward answer. Or data and samples would mysteriously disappear when tests got too close. 

“What that tells me,” Kihyun started as he went for a flight of stairs leading to the second floor. So far there had still been nothing but debris and old pipes, trash scattered along, animal remains, the usual. “Is that there is something bigger going on. Maybe General Son was on to something,” Kihyun wasn’t typically one for conspiracy theories, but right now it was screaming in his face. 

“I agree,” Changkyun nodded. He had been planning to tell Kihyun about the conversation with his father, but hadn’t had the time before they set out on their route again. They climbed the stairs together, cautious as they went. 

When they reached the top of the stairs, something hit them. The smell of must and mold had permeated most of the building all through the first floor but now it had the distinct smell of more. There was a tang to it, metallic and biting. Changkyun grimaced but recognized it quickly enough. Shining his light on the floor, he was met with the gleam of coagulating puddles of blood. 

“Shit,” He hissed. Kihyun was doing much of the same, already scanning the floor for any other signs of blood. The smell of iron was overwhelming, which typically meant there was a lot of it. Changkyun did his best to take in a deep breath and hold it, breathing mostly through his mouth to avoid the scent. 

One direction of the hallway remained clear. So, the pair turned to the first puddle and followed it back, finding a trail winding down towards one of the darkened rooms. Most of the windows had been on the first floor, which left the second with even less visibility. Not ones to back down easily, they continued on and only paused when Kihyun’s light fell on something else. 

“Oh my god,” Kihyun breathed out. Now, it was normal enough to find blood or badly damaged bodies when a vampire was involved. What wasn’t as normal was finding...pieces. Viscera and bits of what had once been a human were on the floor. The blood was still wet, still gleaming in the light cast on it. There were cases of violent vampiric attacks in history. Of people being torn to shreds like they were seeing now. But neither of them had been up close to one like this before. 

“Holy fucking shit,” Changkyun felt his stomach roll over a little, but he swallowed it down as much as he could. Now was not the time to decide to be bothered by remains. Pressing on, the pair found more and more the longer they were in the hallway. Soon enough, it was clear that there was definitely more than one body they were dealing with. There was just too much to be from one person. It only became more evident as they reached the end of the hall and stood outside the dark room when their eyes fell on an absolute massacre. 

Bodies littered the floor. They were all freshly killed, throats torn out, pieces missing, bitten into and ripped to shreds, entrails spread out like something had played with the victims first. The carnage was unlike anything either of them had seen before. 

“Changkyun,” Kihyun’s voice was quiet, just barely loud enough to be made out. “This is beyond us. We need backup,” he was fairly certain that whatever they were up against- even if he was starting to doubt it was just a vampire- was not something only two of them could handle. Changkyun wasted no time in grabbing his communicator from his belt, sending in an alert to their headquarters. No other response team was in the area, leaving them stranded for the time being. Now it was just about staying together and alive until help could get there. 

A chill settled over both of them, goosebumps breaking out on their skin. Changkyun could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up, fear prickling along his skin slowly. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Kihyun was already moving. 

It took a second for Changkyun to recognize what was happening, to see that Kihyun was not moving of his own accord. No, something had struck him, sending him crashing to the ground with shocking force. The sound he heard a moment later was Kihyun’s head connecting with the cold ground, leaving the hunter motionless. The communicator dropped from his hand as he jerked after Kihyun when he realized it was already too late. 

He was only vaguely aware that he had screamed for Kihyun before everything went black.


	2. begin and end open and close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has to get worse before it gets better. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the positive feedback so far! I had a super shitty day so I decided to update again and resolve the whole cliffhanger thing.

Kihyun woke with his ears ringing. Consciousness came back to him in pieces, feeling the cold of the damp air around him, hearing something next, and finally recognizing that there were lights when none had existed before. He squinted against them, eyes watering at first as they adjusted. His head was pounding and made it that much harder to see anything going on. Blood caked one side of his face, drying down his neck and matting his light brown hair down. He could feel how sticky and crusty it had become, which meant he had likely been out for a while. 

With a groan, Kihyun forced himself to look around and take in his surroundings. Still in the same room, he noted quickly enough upon seeing the same dead bodies all over. His brain was sluggish from the hit, everything turning and trying to click into place. As he tried to move, he registered that there was something around his wrists. A solid tug proved that there was no moving and in his slowed thinking, it finally dawned on Kihyun that he was bound and restricted. Panic surged through him, twisting to free his arms no matter how useless it felt. His legs were much of the same case, tied together in front of him, arms behind his back. He was left on his side on the ground, the chill seeping through his clothes. 

The panic only increased when he didn’t see Changkyun right away. Kihyun, disoriented and scared beyond words, started to breathe harder as he frantically looked around the room. He was desperate to find Changkyun, to make sure he was okay. He was still piecing together what had even happened. One moment they had been going into the room and the next he was waking up like this. 

“Changkyun!” Kihyun’s voice cracked and echoed off of the walls. He squirmed his way around, using his core muscles to pull himself up enough to be sitting. It was a strain but he made it, unsteady and head spinning and still panting. 

“Awake now?” someone asked from behind him. Footsteps echoed off the walls as a figure came around. Kihyun squinted against the light, straining to focus on the blurry person before him. Eventually, he blinked away the tears out of his eyes. He was met with a set of red eyes staring down at him from under dark hair covering his forehead. It was tousled messily, which Kihyun took in as he realized all of him was a mess. 

“Who-” Kihyun grit his teeth, cut off when the man crouched in front of him. He was much closer suddenly, Kihyun fully aware that this was a vampire. 

“Hyungsoo,” the man said. “You remember that name?” he tilted his head. Kihyun’s brain was a mess. It felt like it was bogged down and foggy, thoughts hard to piece together and keep them there. But once he tried, he did remember the name. He could even start to remember parts of the face that was so close to his own now. 

“Good,” Hyungsoo said, nodding once. “You recognize me, judging by your expression,” he didn’t sound impressed, just stating the obvious. 

“What do you want?” Kihyun spit out, twisting his wrists in the ropes around them. Hyungsoo, Kihyun finally recalled, was a vampire he had dealt with in the past. The vampire had been a target, along with another that Kihyun couldn’t remember the name of. They were partners in crime, so to speak, one of the first that he and Changkyun had been sent after. Hyungsoo’s partner was the first vampire Kihyun had killed on his own once they were out in the field. Now it was all coming back to him. 

“You know, you impressed me at first? I was furious, of course, because you took something from me. But impressed you managed to do that at all,” Hyungsoo didn’t answer the question. He rocked back on his heels for a moment, standing once again. In carefully measured steps, he started to move across the room, stepping around bodies as he went. Kihyun struggled to keep moving his head, to turn his body around to watch where Hyungsoo went. 

“What do you want!?” Kihyun shouted that time, nearly pitching over from the force. 

“I wanted to return the favor. Take something of yours and show you not to cross into territory you don’t understand,” Hyungsoo finally stopped, Kihyun fully turned around in the room to see where he stopped. Beside Hyungsoo’s feet lay Changkyun, chest heaving and blood on his throat. 

“I had a little taste already. But we’re not done yet,” Hyungsoo’s calm and blank demeanor broke into a sly smile, pearly white fangs showing behind his parted lips. 

\--

Changkyun had only been dimly aware of things happening around him. Once Kihyun had gone down, something had taken him as well. When he woke the first time, it was to fangs in his neck. Now he was in a haze, awake again but having lost enough blood to be docile. Not enough to kill him, no, but with his training, he was fairly certain that he was suffering from some major blood loss. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he recalled training sessions when he was young. Recalled that the organization had made them feel what it was like to be bitten by a vampire. It had been unpleasant and terrifying. Even when he begged his father afterwards for answers, for anything on why the organization would do that, why they had vampires locked away for tests, he never got an answer. 

His mind was pulled back to the present when he heard shouting. Two voices this time, though one spoke more. Try as he might, listening felt distant and muffled, like his head had been stuffed full of cotton balls and wrapped in a blanket. He was able to focus on a set of feet coming closer to him, one eventually nudging at his temple with the point of a well polished shoe. 

Changkyun groaned at the touch, squeezing his eyes shut. The other voice shouted again and while he couldn’t make out the words, he knew it was Kihyun. That was a voice he would always recognize, always long to hear again. He rolled his head towards it, blinking slowly as he looked across the room. Kihyun was there, blurry, but there. Without even thinking, he smiled weakly, wanting to tell Kihyun they were going to be fine. 

“You know the thing about newborns, right? You’re trained after all,” the first voice was saying. Changkyun made out those words clearly, registering them through the fog. Kihyun screamed. 

Then all at once, he was being hoisted to his feet like he was a ragdoll. Changkyun grunted, twisted weakly against the hold around his body. There wasn’t enough strength left in his limbs to make a difference as he ended up sinking into a solid, cold chest. Whoever was supporting him had a gentleness to the touch, cradling him there for a moment like he was something precious. It all felt distinctly wrong, no matter how soft and tender it was. 

“Newborns are incredibly thirsty,” the voice said. Changkyun didn’t know where the newborn vampire was, but even that started to dawn on him. A whimper broke from his throat, his hands coming up to shove at the vampire holding him. It all started to make sense, only moments too late. 

A hand pushed through his hair and pulled his head back. Changkyun could hear another scream and realized it was his own. 

\--

Kihyun was frantic. His resolve was not something that crumbled in most cases, but this. This was beyond anything he trained for. Hands and feet bound, he struggled to move at all. He had to do something, anything, to stop this from happening. Kihyun threw himself forward which only resulted in crashing to the floor again, chin hitting hard and biting down on his tongue. The taste of blood filled his mouth, but he ignored it. Pain was hardly anything he cared about right now. 

Desperately, Kihyun squirmed and rolled his way across the room, though he was not covering enough distance quickly enough. His eyes came up again to see Hyungsoo sinking his teeth into Changkyun’s neck. The sound Changkyun let out shattered Kihyun’s heart into a million pieces. 

“Changkyun!” Kihyun screamed before he could stop himself. All the more panicked and desperate, Kihyun twisted hard with the ropes around his limbs, gritting his teeth hard. His wrists felt wet after a moment, though he did not know if it was sweat or blood causing it. 

“No, no, no,” Kihyun cried to himself, wanting to scream enough to make it stop. He wanted to break out of the ropes holding him. Instead, he was stuck with a dead body blocking him. Kihyun twisted, kicked his bound together legs out to try and shove the body away. It was heavy and gave little, no matter how many times he kicked. Afraid to look away from Changkyun for too long, his eyes came up again and his heart broke all over again. 

Changkyun was completely limp in Hyungsoo’s hold. His skin was pale, devoid of the usual warm color. Somehow, his eyes were still open. Kihyun sobbed. 

Hyungsoo pulled off after another moment, licking the blood from his lips and looking entirely pleased with himself. It would be one thing, Kihyun thought, to lose Changkyun like this. Drained of all blood and emptied like that. But to know that the vampire had other plans, that Kihyun was still helpless to stop it, made him feel sick. The vampire kept his hold on Changkyun’s body, lowering him back to the ground but keeping his head up. Before Kihyun could scream again, Hyungsoo used his own teeth to rip his wrist open, pressing it hard to Changkyun’s lips. 

“STOP!” Kihyun begged. He sobbed hard enough to make himself retch, struggling to get more air back into his lungs. Begging was useless but all Kihyun could do was use his voice. Scream, sob, beg, anything. 

Changkyun never wanted this. Kihyun knew that. Neither of them had ever wanted to be turned, not many hunters ever actually wanted that. Hell, most humans didn’t want that in the end. And yet there they were, unable to change their future now. Given that Hyungsoo didn’t pull his wrist away, Kihyun was forced to watch his blood pour into Changkyun’s open mouth. 

His sobs were the only sound in the room, bouncing around them and echoing back into his ears. 

What perhaps made it worse was how Changkyun- who had gone still as stone, was suddenly starting to squirm again. He choked on the blood sliding down his throat, gagging but still swallowing it. It was like there was a command he had to follow, an urge to drink what was being given to him. Kihyun had never watched someone change before, not in person. They had all been taught the basics of what happened but seeing it was something else entirely. 

It felt like the torture would never end, each second that ticked by just another stuck in his own personal hell. Even as he kept trying, as he kept struggling against the exhaustion and fear, Kihyun knew it was too late. All he could do was whimper out Changkyun’s name, begging for him to be okay in the end. 

It was so far from okay, no matter what he said. 

Then, Hyungsoo was pulling his wrist back, letting Changkyun lay back on the floor. The hunter lay still again, only the twitch of his hands or occasional heave of his chest giving away that anything was happening at all. 

Kihyun’s eyes stayed focused on Changkyun’s body as the vampire walked back towards him. He was pulled back by the collar of his shirt until he was sitting up, something moving the ropes around his wrists. Hyungsoo disappeared from his line of sight, cutting the ropes free from Kihyun’s arms, before moving to his legs. Kihyun was dazed, hardly aware of the ropes being taken away, eyes focused solely on Changkyun. 

Only when he felt something being pushed into his hands did he look away, the weight and chill of the object drawing his attention down. A blade sat in the palm of his hand now- his own, he realized after a moment. Coated in silver for vampires, one he had trained with all of his life and cherished. It gleamed in the light, still pristine from the last time he polished it. Hyungsoo grabbed Kihyun’s chin, jerking his head up to better look into his eyes. 

“Let’s see how well you handle a newborn,” He hummed, holding Kihyun’s gaze. All the hunter could see was how red the vampire’s eyes were. Red like the blood that was still on his lips, or spattered around the room. Like the pieces of humans they had found in that god forsaken hallway. It was an image Kihyun would never forget. “I’ve got some other things to attend to,” Hyungsoo eventually shoved Kihyun back, the hunter falling back to the ground. 

“You have a choice to make. Kill the vampire like a good hunter, or let your love kill you,” Hyungsoo pat the top of Kihyun’s head, smiling like he was proud of his little trick. “And remember. Newborns are basically feral. He very easily could have caused all of this. That’s what the others will think. You’ve got a few minutes before he’ll be finished. Have fun, Kihyun.” 

He was left in silence. For a split second, he didn’t even realize Hyungsoo had left. It happened so quickly, so suddenly, that he was still trying to process everything. A groan pulled his attention away from the blade in his hand, eyes falling on Changkyun’s body once again. Kihyun sat in a state of shock as he watched. What was he seeing? His ears were still ringing, head pounding from the earlier injury and now this. He couldn’t parse the scene before him or feel anything other than heartbreak. 

He had a choice to make, Hyungsoo said. Kihyun glanced at the dagger in his hand and back at Changkyun. What had he done to deserve this? What had Changkyun ever done to deserve this? 

The silence of the room was slowly filled with sound again. Changkyun’s body twisted, the younger hunter suddenly rolling to his side and curling in on himself, the low groans turning into screams. It was only then that Kihyun seemed jolted back into the present. Fully realizing he was able to move now, Kihyun struggled to his feet, stumbling across the short distance left between them. 

Changkyun thrashed on the floor, his chest heaving as he gulped down air that would do him no good. To Kihyun, this was worse than seeing the dead bodies. He skidded to a halt close to his love, hands out but unable to do anything. This was worse, because Changkyun was in pain. He thrashed and screamed, twisted as the poison of vampire blood coursed through him, changed everything about him. Kihyun knew how it worked. Knew it was supposed to be painful. It was something the organization had used to keep them from being tempted to try it. 

Now he was not only seeing it in person the first time, but it was happening to the love of his life. To see someone he cared so deeply for, had loved for years now, in such horrible pain and agony was a new form of torture. He wanted desperately to reach out and hold him, to soothe away whatever he could, kiss his temple and tell him it would be fine. 

But nothing was fine. Nothing was going to be okay in this situation. Already the change was taking place, Changkyun no longer human, no longer just the hunter Kihyun adored in every way. Fresh tears sprung to Kihyun’s eyes as he watched, eventually slapping his hands over his ears in a last ditch effort to drown out the agonizing sound of Changkyun dying and becoming something else. 

It lasted for five minutes. Five minutes of pure torment. Then silence filled the room again, punctuated by the soft gasps and sobs Kihyun let out. When he realized that Changkyun had gone still, trembling hands finally came back out to reach for him. 

“Changkyun?” Kihyun’s voice trembled and cracked. Part of him wanted to believe so badly that Changkyun would sit up and be fine. That this had been some kind of twisted nightmare and it would all go back to normal. He wished for that even if deep down he knew it wasn’t possible. 

Slowly, Changkyun’s eyes flitted open, blinking a few times against the light. Once warm and soft brown eyes were now a deep red color, Kihyun was able to see that from where he sat. One hand covered his mouth as he stifled another sob. 

Changkyun’s movements were stiff at first. He sat up slowly, arms shaking under his own weight. It was like he had to figure out how his body worked all over again. Had to remember who and what he was, what he was even doing in this room. Slow blinks as his eyes scanned the room, before falling on Kihyun sitting across from him. A shudder ran down Kihyun’s spine when he couldn’t see the love reflected in the eyes staring at him. 

“Kyunnie, please,” Kihyun whispered. “It’s me.” 

“...Ki,” Changkyun croaked out, wincing at the sound. It seemed as if his senses were coming back to him slowly, waking up to the new enhancements and changes. It left Changkyun confused and shaking his head, one hand coming up to press against his throat. He dug at it like it itched or burned, grimacing when he pulled in a breath. “Ki, it hurts,” Changkyun only stared at Kihyun. 

Then he was moving towards him, crawling as quickly as he could manage. It was uncoordinated and clumsy, but too quick for Kihyun to process at the same time. The blade had fallen from Kihyun’s hands, forgotten on the ground, even as the newborn vampire crowded into his space. Hands framed his face, red eyes boring into his own, lips still stained from the blood Hyungsoo had forced into him. 

Kihyun couldn’t even cry out when fangs were suddenly sinking into his neck. He gasped at first, back arching at the piercing pain and strange pulling sensation. Changkyun was messy, as Kihyun could feel blood drip down his neck. It was then that he managed to make a sound, managed to cry and shove at Changkyun’s chest. It only pulled the fangs in his throat more, sending another wave of searing agony through his body. The tug of Changkyun sucking on his neck made Kihyun feel sick. It was too much, too fast. Kihyun hit Changkyun’s chest again, harder this time, already feeling lightheaded. 

“Changkyun, stop, please-” Kihyun struggled, but Changkyun didn’t let go. Realizing that shoving wasn’t going to do anything, Kihyun clung to his love instead. “Please, please stop,” he begged in a softer voice, whispered into Changkyun’s ear. 

The other hunter had to be in there still. He was still Changkyun, Kihyun told himself, still the man he wanted to be with forever. Kihyun grit his teeth as he wrapped shaky arms around Changkyun’s chest, hugging him tightly. 

“C-come back to m-me, Kyunnie,” Kihyun whimpered. “Please, I love you, please come back,” his voice shook, warm tears rolling down his dirtied cheeks once again. 

All at once, Kihyun was being shoved back harder than was necessary. Changkyun had detached from his neck and was scrambling back awkwardly, eyes wide and panicked, blood dripping off of his chin. Kihyun panted as he sat up slowly, one hand pressed to the wound on his neck. Had his words actually reached Changkyun like he hoped they would? 

Changkyun, his partner, his love,  _ his  _ Changkyun, was sitting right there, looking like a terrified animal caught in a trap. Somehow, he had managed to get away from Kihyun before completely drinking him dry. While Kihyun was typically a stickler for protocol- and protocol dictated that they were never to approach a newborn vampire  _ especially  _ while bleeding, Kihyun had thrown that all out the window. 

The gears were finally turning in his head again as he tried to think of the next few steps. Protocol also said that he was supposed to kill Changkyun. Any hunter that was “compromised” as the rules had put it, needed to be terminated immediately. It had happened a few times in their years, an unavoidable hazard of their occupation. But Kihyun hadn’t known any of them well. Hadn’t seen what happened, and most certainly hadn’t been in love with the person it was happening to. 

Already that eliminated going back to their organization for help. It didn’t matter the circumstances under which a hunter was turned. They had to die once they stopped being human. With that option gone, Kihyun scraped his mind for something else that they could work with. Surely, others would come looking for them when sunrise came and neither of them reported to Shownu with an update. Whoever came would see the carnage and see Changkyun and blame him. Kihyun could try to pin it all on Hyungsoo, and maybe they would believe him, but that still resulted in Changkyun being taken away forever. 

“Changkyun,” Kihyun rasped before swallowing hard to try and clear his throat. It felt like he had swallowed a mouth full of sand. “Look at me, baby, focus on me,” he tried again. The new vampire stared back at him, those red eyes full of confusion and fear. “Good,” Kihyun panted as he stood and took an apprehensive step towards Changkyun. 

“Don’t,” Changkyun choked out. “Don’t come closer to me,” he forced himself further away, until his back hit the wall. Kihyun had gone still, wavering on his feet but not backing away. 

“Babe-”    
  
“ _ Don’t. _ ” Changkyun hissed that time, hands tightened into fists. He curled in on himself more, if that was even possible, his body shaking. “Stay away.” The younger was pressed so far into the wall it was like he was trying to become one with it. Still, Kihyun did not falter. 

“I...I’m not scared,” it didn’t sound convincing in his own ears. He  _ was  _ scared, at least a little. Everything that had gone down in the last few hours was terrifying, painful, and distinctly  _ wrong.  _ Of course he was scared, having no way to tell what would happen next. What he had to remind himself was that whatever fear he felt had to be so much worse for Changkyun. New vampires were often overwhelmed with heightened senses, bloodlust, their bodies being so much different than when they were human. 

Kihyun took one more step forward, his hands out and eyes focused. It was a huge risk, he knew, because there was still blood on him. The fact that it was still dripping slowly from the bite wound to his neck wouldn’t help, and he was sure that Changkyun could smell it. Probably felt completely consumed by the need to bite him again. 

“I’m not scared of you,” Kihyun tried again that time, sounding more convincing. He had to make sure Changkyun knew it was true, that he felt Kihyun really wasn’t afraid of him. He was still piecing together what he should do next, knowing they were on a time limit as well. 

“No, Kihyun-” Changkyun’s voice broke off as he shuddered, knees drawn up to his chest. “You can’t, you h-have to-” His hand unclenched and clenched again, working up into his hair and pulling at it. Kihyun couldn’t remember a time he had ever seen Changkyun so scared, so broken like he was now. “I-I can’t k-keep controlling myself,” he stammered out. 

“Don’t you dare,” Kihyun started then, his tone shifting. “Tell me to kill you,” he knew where it had been going. It was an obvious conclusion to jump to, and one that Kihyun refused to acknowledge. “I won’t, Changkyun, I won’t, you can’t ask me to do that.” 

“I don’t want to live like this!” Changkyun shouted at him, distraught beyond words. “I don’t want to hurt you!” 

“You let go of me once,” Kihyun pointed out, inching forward still. 

“Stop- stop!” Changkyun had nowhere else to go or back away from Kihyun. He was straining hard, fighting what had to be the impossible urge to consume blood. To tear Kihyun’s throat out and drink every last drop he could get. Kihyun knew he needed it. “Please,” his voice was nothing but a whimper now. “Please Kihyun, I don’t want to hurt you…” 

“And I don’t want to kill you,” Kihyun retaliated as he closed the distance that much more. He forgot about the blade sitting behind him on the ground. He forgot about the bodies that were surrounding them. He even let himself forget about what to do after this. Right now, all that mattered was showing Changkyun he wasn’t giving up, not yet. He wouldn’t end it like this, no matter what. 

“We have to get out of here, okay? You-” he paused and kept working through the words in his head. This was their reality now, he reminded himself. “You need blood. You can have mine,” he was finally close enough to sit in front of Changkyun, a weak smile on his face. 

“No, no, Ki-” Changkyun knocked his head back against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut as if that would help him fight the scent of Kihyun’s blood. “I won’t stop.” 

“You will. I’ll make sure you will.” 

“I hate you,” Changkyun bit out, breaking down into a fit of tears. 

“We both know that’s not true,” Kihyun huffed out a laugh. He ached for that familiar banter they shared, for their jokes and nonsense, anything that would bring an ounce of normalcy to the shit show they were in now. “Come here, Kyunnie. Please, let me help you. Then we’ll get out of here and figure out what to do.” 

Changkyun whined, the sound a mix of agony and desire. He wanted so badly to give in, Kihyun could see that, but was still fighting with himself. With this strange new ache that was filling up every fiber of his being. Kihyun sat patiently, one hand extended, waiting for his love to come back to him. 

“I trust you more than anyone else in the world. No matter what. And I’m going to love you, no matter what. We’re in this together,” Kihyun felt his eyes sting, but fought back the tears as much as he could. 

Slowly, Changkyun looked at Kihyun again. His red eyes were shining with unshed tears, mouth shut tight with how hard he was clenching his jaw. A moment later his hands came away from his hair, shaking hard as they went down to his sides. Kihyun held still as he waited. He would always wait for Changkyun. When he finally felt the other’s hand sliding into his own, Kihyun let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. 

Of course he picked up how much cooler Changkyun was becoming already. There was still a trace of warmth in his skin, Kihyun clinging to that as the new vampire let himself be pulled closer. Every inch of Changkyun was still trembling, looking terrified beyond words. Whenever he tried to pull away or speak up, Kihyun just gently shushed him again. 

“I trust you,” Kihyun whispered once Changkyun was close enough. His hands framed Changkyun’s face, thumbs brushing away the tears clinging to his cheeks. “I know you can do this. We’ll get through this,” he reassured once again. Kihyun knew he had to be careful about this, if he wanted to be able to keep moving and get to safety with Changkyun- hell if he knew what or where safety was, though. 

None of it mattered. He needed to help Changkyun, and then he could work on the next step. 

“Just take some, okay?” he asked, petting Changkyun’s hair and feeling the nod in response. “You’ll stop, I know you will,” Kihyun paused to place a kiss to Changkyun’s temple, closing his eyes as he felt his boyfriend unable to hold back from leaning into his neck. “I love you, Changkyun.”

“Love you,” Changkyun echoed, the words muffled against Kihyun’s skin. A moment passed before he felt the sting of fangs again, the bite too hard and rough, but Kihyun doing his best to hold still. 

The pulling sensation was the worst. Still, he said nothing. One hand stayed tangled in Changkyun’s smoky locks, the other clinging to his shoulder. Kihyun timed it, tried to think of how much blood he had lost already. When a wave of dizziness hit him, he started to squeeze closer, like he had the first time. 

“Stop,” Kihyun breathed out. “Come back to me now, Kyunnie. Come back,” he urged, whispering Changkyun’s name over and over. Just like the first time, it somehow worked again. Changkyun pulled away from Kihyun’s throat with a gasp, blood staining his teeth and lips. “See? Knew you could,” he brushed a hand over Changkyun’s cheek. 

Another wave of dizziness washed over him, Kihyun groaning when Changkyun suddenly leaned in once more. For a brief flash, fear pierced his mind. But instead of the sharp pinch of fangs, he was met with a wet sensation of Changkyun lapping at the wound on his neck. Not only did he clean off the blood still there, but the puncture wounds began to close. Kihyun recalled that vampires could heal small wounds like that and would have congratulated Changkyun for thinking of such a thing, had he been able to think of the words. 

Instead, he felt himself going slack, leaning heavily into Changkyun this time. He could make out his voice calling for him, panicked and scared. It was muddled, but he still heard it. 

“M’fine, Kyunnie. Just give me a minute,” Kihyun slurred out, eyes closing as arms came around him to support his weight. The last thing he heard was Changkyun begging him to stay awake. 

\--

Shownu couldn’t say he was exactly happy about how things were shifting. Having the Commander step in to dish out special orders to groups he typically left alone left him with a pit in his stomach, uneasy and strange. His instincts were telling him that this was not a typical move, that something else was causing such a shift within the organization. Perhaps it was brought on by General Son going missing, but Shownu tried his best not to dwell on it. He had to cling to hope that his adopted father was going to appear sooner or later. He had to. 

What had made his skin crawl was Commander Kim asking for his best hunters in his unit. It wasn’t unknown that Kihyun and Changkyun were some of the top within their ranks. Shownu had even tried to urge them to move higher up because of how skilled they had become through the years. Neither had any interest in such a move, and eventually Shownu stopped pushing for it. It wasn’t like he wanted to lose his little family or work away from them, but more of knowing that they were capable of so much. So when he had been asked to recommend his top hunters, Shownu had to wonder why the Commander didn’t ask for them by name. Surely, the man had thought, their names would have been known already. 

Shaking off the strange conversation, he tried to tamper down the suspicion growing at the back of his mind and do his job. There was enough information to work off of for now, and he made a promise to himself to keep an eye on the pair once they were out on their new route. He did have a sense of pride when it came to those two, too. They had trained together for years, had gone through all their schooling as close together as possible given their age differences. Shownu would sing their praises if he was asked to, despite being the quiet and reserved one most of the time. It all boiled down to loving the little family he had found in the organization. The team that he had made and took care of- even if one was gone now. 

Not General Son, no. Shownu had to grimace when he realized that technically, two were gone now. There was one he lost before this, though death hadn’t taken him. A bad move, a bleeding heart, and a disagreement did. The memories left a bitter taste in his mouth and made his stomach go sour. It hadn’t even been that long ago, his mind still reeling from losing a team member like he had. Said member had been thrown out of the organization but allowed to live on his own. Commander Kim had wanted him monitored to make sure there would be no interference, but Shownu had campaigned hard to just leave the man be, that he didn’t need a whole team keeping an eye on him. 

It worked, for the most part. 

Because Shownu was the one that ended up keeping tabs on the ex-hunter known as Wonho.

_ “If you’re so sure, then I trust you’re capable of keeping tabs on him?”  _

_ “I don’t think it’s necessary to watch him at all-”  _

_ “Do not speak out of turn, Shownu. You’re determined to protect a traitor. You either watch him, or I terminate him. Your choice.”  _

Not ideal in any way, shape, or form, but the only way to guarantee that no one else in the organization would really cause problems. Wonho also had no idea that he was being watched and monitored (to a degree, Shownu lied plenty about his old teammate’s habits in his reports) by the organization that had thrown him out so cruelly. At least, he had never given any indication that he was aware of Shownu checking in on him now and then. 

Tracking Wonho wasn’t hard in the technical sense. It was hard because it renewed the ache Shownu felt in his chest every time he looked at Wonho. He missed his old partner. The two had been much like Kihyun and Changkyun, even if they were a bit more quiet about their own romantic tendencies. 

And it all ended on such a shitty note.

Shownu shook the thoughts from his mind, trying to stay focused on what he was doing currently. Which was dealing with other reports being sent in of vampiric activity. Requests that something be done in other neighborhoods, having those requests cleared, all the boring paperwork that made it feel like his brain might melt out of his ears. He sat in his own little office space- more of a lounge area than anything, but it was what he had to work with. A few others passed by as they went about their days, some greeting Shownu and others whispering to each other as they passed. 

The comments were always the worst. Especially when others thought he wasn’t aware of them, because Shownu had a damn good poker face. It was easy to seem oblivious or unphased more often than not and generally speaking, he was. But some days, like today, the comments got to him. 

“Why do you think he hasn’t teamed up with anyone else yet?” 

“Shh, he’s right there. I hear it’s because he’s still on probation for it.” 

“Really? He didn’t do anything wrong though. Wonho did, trying to protect vamps like they’re human.” 

“Well, he is a captain now, maybe he just thinks he’s better than all of us. Or he’s too busy kissing the Commander’s ass.” 

Shownu stood with enough force to send the chair tipping backwards and clattering against the floor. The sudden sound startled the gossiping group, who scurried away upon being on the receiving end of Shownu’s glare. It was a rare sight to behold, but no one ever wanted it aimed at them. Tension spread through the room with anyone remaining, though Shownu didn’t stick around long enough to deal with it. He gathered his papers and walked away quietly, eyes forward and forcing their words from his mind. 

\--

As if his day wasn’t already bad enough, Shownu was starting to get anxious about the lack of reports from Kihyun and Changkyun. They had been on their new route for several days now, the first few reports citing little action happening at all. Which was fine, in Shownu’s mind, because it meant they were safe for the time being. That maybe the reports they had been checking up on were false claims. It happened sometimes. Shownu never saw it as a reason to complain. 

No matter how much he tried, he hadn’t been able to speak with his team in person, only reading and signing off on reports that were turned in as they came back from each patrol. A few new placements for any homeless civilians they found, just to keep them safe. A few signs of kids messing around in abandoned areas. Nothing new, nothing strange. Shownu was only growing more suspicious as to why they were put in such a location when nothing pointed to anything happening there. Before he could ask for details or information from the Commander, he was given a new pack of reports.

More paperwork to keep him busy and out of the field. It was all retaliation for trying to protect Wonho, he was sure. He was allowed out to monitor his old teammate and to take care of reports, for now. 

Grumbling softly to himself, Shownu retired to his room for the evening, stack of reports in hand, knowing he would have a new one as soon as Kihyun and Changkyun came back as well. They were out again that night, so he had nothing else to really focus on. The first few pages were run of the mill, generalized reports from hunters. At most, he complained that there was a lack of details in some. 

But a paper shoved into the middle of it all caught his attention. Red lettering at the top typically denoted a hunter killed in action. Snatching the page from the stack, large block letters stamped over an image of a familiar face. General Son stared back at him from the picture with  **‘DECEASED’** blocking parts of his face out. It was his personal file of information, one that was always made for every hunter and employee in the organization. Shownu stared down at the sheet of paper, his heart stopping and breath freezing in his chest. He had been waiting for days now, for information of any kind about what could be found. 

Nothing came up and now-

Now he was staring at the man he considered a father and trying to process that he was gone. 

One hand covered his mouth as a sob worked its way out. Shownu rarely cried at all, but this? This hit harder than he ever could have expected. Of course the fear had been there when Son first went missing. But to have confirmation and see his file stacked into other reports like an afterthought had only hurt worse. 

Why hadn’t he been told directly? It was no secret how Shownu looked up to the older man. Or their history together, from the General bringing him in as a small child, to raising and training him, to even giving him his promotion to Captain. So why would he be informed in such a way? 

Before he could really consider another form of action, Shownu was up on his feet and rushing towards the Commander’s office. It was several floors away from his room, but he was determined. This had been the last straw for him that day, when a man typically considered the most patient and laid back had finally had enough of the bullshit he was being fed. Shownu had ways of excusing things, some he probably shouldn’t have ignored, and others that he did so he could keep making sense of the job. 

_ “Do you even know why you’re fighting anymore, Shownu? Beyond some old dream of revenge you had as a kid?” _

Shownu grit his teeth as he stomped through the halls, anyone that saw him coming either ducked out of the way or quickly moved to the side. No one tried to stop him or ask what was happening, even if few dared to let their curious gaze follow him. Shownu could only see red letters, forever burned into his mind, as he made it to the Commander’s office. 

Without knocking, Shownu shoved the door open, taking some bit of pride in seeing the Commander startle in his chair. Served him right for all of this. 

“Shownu, what brings you-” 

“Why didn’t you tell me directly?” he spoke over the Commander without hesitation. When he was met with only a confused look, Shownu balled his hands into fists, blunt nails digging into his palms. “General Son. Why did you tell me directly?” 

“Ah, I was wondering when you’d get that report,” Commander Kim nodded, feigning a look of sadness. Shownu wanted to slap him. “You were originally meant to be informed in person. But we’ve got other more important things to deal with, which also require your attention.” 

“Are you serious? What kind of excuse is that?” Shownu seethed. 

“Captain Son,” he switched titles, which was never a good thing. “I recommend you do not speak out of turn, or take that tone,” he scolded, voice cold. Shownu hadn’t felt like a child in such a long time that to feel it now was daunting. “Everyone knows that things do not go the way we plan. Now if you’re done with your tantrum, I have something that needs addressed immediately. I was going to call you here before you barged in.” 

Just like that, Shownu’s anger and grief were brushed away. They meant nothing to the Commander, ruled only as misplaced anger and a childish way to act. Shownu was stunned by the sudden turn, shocked into complacency. There had been no reassurance or comfort. Not that he expected to be coddled, but this? This had shocked the usually unfazed hunter. 

“Are you ready to listen now?” 

“Yes, sir,” Shownu responded, quiet and reserved. Commander Kim nodded once and stood from his desk. 

“We received a distress call from the field. Changkyun was the one that called in, but they have not responded to any attempts to reach them. I need a team sent there immediately, and for you to find out what happened.” 

Shownu’s heart sank to his stomach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked the update! feel free to keep yelling at me in the comments |D if you'd like, you can find me over on twitter @bigtiddynunu


	3. still underwater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uhhh I have another chapter already and am a bit shocked at myself for doing that. I can't promise I'll be able to keep up the same pace, but I'm gonna try (thus the tag about being slow- more of me covering my ass just in case). I hope you enjoy! I can't thank you all enough for such positive feedback!

_ Think, Changkyun, think.  _

The weight in his arms felt like nothing when it should have felt like something. There should have been a racing heartbeat in his chest, panicked breathing, anything more than what he felt now. The panic was there, yes, he could feel himself freaking out the longer he went on. But the weight of Kihyun in his arms didn’t feel like anything, hardly bothered by lifting him. Something felt like a heart fluttering in his chest, barely there and soft. Even then, his body was strange to him now. None of it felt right or like it used to. 

And Kihyun still wasn’t conscious. 

It hadn’t taken him too long to figure out that he needed to get out of the old warehouse. Backup would show up eventually, and they were shit out of luck. They couldn’t be caught or stuck in that building, so Changkyun did the only thing he could think of at the time. Pick up Kihyun and get out. So there he was, darting through back alleys and less used roads to avoid being seen, carrying Kihyun bridal style, and trying not to slip into a full blown panic attack. 

He doesn’t remember ever being able to move as quickly before tonight. Changkyun again wracked his brain for something to work with, an idea of any kind. He needed to get Kihyun to safety and find help. There was already the sense of dread building up in his gut that Kihyun was going to die. Despite holding Kihyun in his arms and seeing him breathe, Changkyun still feared that he would slip away. If he hadn’t needed his eyes to see where he was going he was certain they would never leave Kihyun’s face again. 

Eventually, Changkyun realized he had to stop and think; walking around with no destination in mind wasn’t helping. Ducking behind a dumpster outside a grocery store- thankfully closed for the evening- Changkyun practically wrapped himself around Kihyun and tried to think it out. There had to be somewhere he could go that wouldn’t spell out instant death for both of them. The organization was off limits now. Which meant Shownu was, too. 

It hit him all at once. 

Changkyun’s head jerked up as he looked around, trying to get better visuals of his current location. Still holding Kihyun, he darted back towards the sidewalk and found a street sign. With his attention refocused and a goal in mind, Changkyun didn’t feel as shaky as he took off with Kihyun again. 

\--

Wonho shuffled around his kitchen, towel still around his bare shoulders and only sweat pants on. Sure, it was late enough that he should have tried to go to sleep hours ago. But sleep was never a strong suit for him and tonight was no different. 

He stood staring into his fridge, frowning at himself when he realized how empty it was. He hadn’t made a grocery run in a few days, as he usually tried to put it off as long as possible. Wonho settled on some leftover rice and popped it into the microwave. Just as the machine beeped to declare the rice a wonderful lukewarm, something slammed into the front door of his apartment. 

It hadn’t been hard enough to break it off the hinges, but the lock was definitely busted. Without hesitation, Wonho snatched a knife from a drawer, having them stashed all around. Old habits were hard to break and he found it was never a bad idea to have some kind of weapon nearby. The door swung open hard, someone stumbling in and attempting to slam it shut again. 

“Don’t move!” Wonho announced his own presence, coming out from behind the kitchen wall and staring at the would-be intruder. As soon as his eyes settled on the figure, he realized there were in fact  _ two  _ and not just one. And that one was being held. 

And he knew them. 

“Changkyun?” Wonho breathed out. He lowered the knife and stared at the pair, realizing the one in Changkyun’s arms was Kihyun. 

“I didn’t mean to break your door,” Changkyun replied in a rush. 

“ _ Changkyun? _ ” 

“I-I can fix it, just-” Changkyun stood there, clutching Kihyun close to his chest and Wonho was only standing there with his mouth hanging open. 

“Changkyun-” he said again, and this time the new vampire wanted to scream at him to stop saying his name. “What the fuck is happening?” 

“I was trying to knock and I guess I hit too hard but- but I was panicked because we need  _ help,  _ hyung, please-” 

“I’m not talking about the door!” Wonho moved then, quickly stepping towards Changkyun and pulling him away from the door. He navigated him towards the couch, until he realized that the younger was still staring at the busted door. “Hey, hey, look at me,” Wonho urged. 

He reached out and took hold of Changkyun’s chin, forcing the boy to turn and look at him. “Good,” Wonho smiled. “Eyes on me-” He paused for a second, realizing that the eyes staring at him were blood red. “...Good, good boy,” Wonho gave him a shaky smile. Slowly, he reached a hand up to ruffle Chankyung’s hair, much like he used to when he was still on their team. 

He knew what the red eyes meant. He knew now why the door had been broken when he said he had only tried to knock. 

“Tell me what happened,” Wonho spoke softly. “Take your time, it’s okay.” 

Changkyun stared at him for the longest time, not even blinking once. It was unsettling to see someone he had known for so long like this now. Not that Wonho thought less of him for whatever happened, whatever had shaken him up so badly. Both he and Kihyun were covered in blood, Kihyun pale and taking in slow breaths. 

“We...we were on patrol,” Changkyun finally started. “Got reassigned. We were jumped, this-this vampire just came out of nowhere and-” Changkyun felt the emotions rising again, like his throat might still seal shut from the panic. He hadn’t had to think of what happened in the short amount of time he ran. Hadn’t had to say the words. 

“He hurt Kihyun,” Changkyun’s voice was quiet, barely loud enough to be hurt. “And he turned me.” 

There was so much more he wanted to say, if Wonho could tell anything by his expression. Perhaps, he realized, the trauma was too great to speak it all right now. Wonho kept a hand on Changkyun’s arm, slowly rubbing up and down in an attempt to comfort the younger. Who was now a vampire, clinging to his partner. 

“Is Kihyun?” He left the question open. Was he a vampire? Was he dying? Wonho wasn’t sure which way to direct it. 

“N-No,” Changkyun shook his head. “No, he needs help, he...he gave me blood, I didn’t want to hurt him, I didn’t!” 

“Hey, hey, shh, it’s okay Changkyun. You’re okay,” Wonho soothed as he took in a deep breath. The details didn’t matter at the moment. Right now, these two needed help and it was easy enough to piece together why Changkyun had come to him for help. Wonho knew all too well how the organization worked and what happened to hunters that were turned. “Kihyun is still alive. I can help, okay? I can help you both.” 

\--

Wonho had given Kihyun a cursory check, tending to what he could see. The head wound wasn’t as terrible as he had originally thought- but head wounds had a penchant for bleeding a shit ton. Wonho cleaned off the dried blood as best as he could given the time constraints before taping gauze over Kihyun’s temple, Changkyun holding him the entire time. 

“I have somewhere safe we can go,” Wonho explained. He had been helping vampires on the outside ever since he was thrown out of organization. And they were the ones that could help Changkyun and Kihyun now. Not to mention, they were less likely to be tracked there. “Are you okay to move?” Wonho asked Changkyun. 

The boy had been sitting in a bit of a daze, occasionally watching Wonho’s movements as he treated Kihyun and cleaned them up. Each time he thought the younger wasn’t paying attention, he would suddenly find red eyes focused in on him, clinging to Kihyun a bit harder. 

“Yeah, I can move,” Changkyun answered, his voice hoarse. Wonho couldn’t recall ever seeing a vampire too shaky before, but Changkyun was new. He was a newborn, likely needed more blood himself, and in a state of shock. He nearly tripped over his own feet, bumping into Wonho as he stood. Kihyun’s weight in his arms hadn’t helped his balance either. 

“I can take him, if you need,” Wonho offered, hands out with his palms up. He meant no harm and he wanted to make sure Changkyun understood. Wonho knew the boy. Knew him well, knew what he was like and how he worked. They had all been best friends, still were if Wonho had a say in it, but the whole vampire factor was throwing shit off. 

“What?”

  
  
“Why don’t I carry Ki for a bit?” Wonho smiled, soft and sweet. “You need help, too.” 

“Don’t touch him,” Changkyun suddenly growled out, stepping away from Wonho and his grip tightening. “I can carry him and you won’t take him from me!” 

“Changkyun, easy, easy!” Wonho threw his hands up in a surrender, not liking the way his heart jerked in his chest or how the fear popped up. Changkyun was  _ growling _ . Inhuman and low; a warning that said if he touched Kihyun, Changkyun might actually try to rip his arm off. “I won’t take him, okay? I just want to help how I can. You’re both safe with me, I swear it.” 

Red eyes looked him over several times, tracking any movement, ready to stop anything he deemed as a threat. Tension hung heavily in the air, suffocating and thick all around them. Wonho stood as still as possible, hands still up. As much as he didn’t want to think about it, he thought he heard Kihyun whimper. Worry started to eat up Wonho’s insides as he realized Changkyun’s grip was likely causing the other hunter pain, even if the younger wasn’t even aware of it. He had to stop it, and fast. 

“Eyes on me again, Kkukkungie. It’s just me. I promise you, you’re safe. You can keep holding Kihyun, okay?” 

Changkyun’s eyes settled just on Wonho’s face, wide but not as angry. The old nickname must have struck a chord within Changkyun, as some of the tension started to leak from his shoulders. Eventually he nodded, the anger slowly fading into a low simmer versus ferocious. His grip on Kihyun eased up, still tight and desperate, but not causing immediate harm to the unconscious hunter. 

“I’m sorry I worried you,” Wonho spoke then, another smile appearing. “It was wrong of me to stress you out more.” Changkyun was fighting himself in his own head, Wonho realized. He couldn’t even begin to know what sort of mental torture he was going through. 

“It’s okay, Hoseokkie-hyung,” Changkyun mumbled, eyes on the floor this time. The smile on his face changed into a wide grin. It had been a long time since Changkyun had called him that and it warmed his heart to hear it again. “Are we going now?” 

“Yeah,” Wonho nodded, moving to grab up his keys and a bag. He had taken the time to throw a shirt on at some point and that was it. He waved for Changkyun to follow him, guiding him out to his car. “We’re going to some friend’s of mine,” he had to be careful how he broached the topic. Wonho couldn’t judge how Changkyun would react to being around more vampires, after all he had experienced. Even without the full details, it was easy to tell it had been bad. It had been against his will. 

“Who are they?” It was an inevitable question. Changkyun knew full well what had happened when Wonho was removed from the organization. Wonho could only hope that the younger wasn’t worried about being handed over to them. He remained silent as he helped Changkyun into the backseat of the car, Kihyun settled in his lap, thinking out how to answer. Knowing his silence wasn’t helping the situation, so he crouched down next to them. 

“You remember some of the nice vampires from the old blood bank we watched?” Wonho smiled, trying to keep his demeanor as soft and calm as possible. Changkyun nodded hesitantly. “They have supplies that can help both of you. They’re good, Kkukkugnie,” he didn’t touch Changkyun, didn’t try to cross any other boundaries after the earlier outburst. 

“I don’t want to be around vampires-” Changkyun said quickly. Wonho gently shushed him and shook his head. 

“Stay focused on me. Listen just for a second, okay? You’re okay. I won’t hurt you, I won’t hurt Kihyun. These vampires are safe. I’ll stay the whole time and make sure nothing happens.” 

Those words held weight, or so he hoped. Even if he was a little out of practice and removed from their team, Wonho had been a hunter. He knew how to subdue vampires or keep them away. He would protect his friends no matter what. Changkyun needed to know that, even if there was no risk with the vampires they were going to see. 

“If I had the supplies here, I would keep you here,” Wonho offered. “But I don’t, and I can’t help you without those supplies,” he explained and hoped that the other understood. Changkyun stared for a moment, before his gaze shifted to the back of the driver’s seat. 

“Okay.” 

Letting out a long sigh of relief, Wonho nodded and slowly stood again so he could climb into the driver’s seat. He shot a quick message to his friends, informing them of their impending arrival. Quietly, Wonho started the car and headed off down the street. Thankfully, the place he needed to go next wasn’t terribly far away. 

The drive was silent, which was fine at first but slowly grew unsettling. Wonho listened for anything, but there was nothing to hear. Every now and then Kihyun would let out a soft sound or breath. But Changkyun? Nothing. No breathing, no sound of shifting,  _ nothing.  _ He decided not to comment on it. He pulled into a private driveway soon enough, shutting the car off and getting out. A few figures were visible moving around in the windows, likely noticing their arrival.    
  
“Kkukkungie,” Wonho spoke up then, turning to look at his friend. Even if he was able to keep himself from jumping, he was startled to see the new vampire staring directly at him, like he had been the whole time. “We’re here. Are you ready to go inside?” 

Changkyun still stared like he was looking right through Wonho. 

“We can take longer, if you need. It’s okay.” They didn’t have a lot of time to spare, but rushing wasn’t going to help either. Getting Changkyun worked up and panicked would end in nothing but complications. 

“I’m ready,” Changkyun muttered, sliding over the seat. Wonho followed and opened the door for him. When they turned towards the front door of the small home, Wonho noticed someone was already waiting outside for them. 

Putting himself in front of the pair to act as a shield, Wonho approached the door and smiled when he saw who was waiting. A young man, looking around Changkyun’s age and brilliantly orange hair stood waiting for them. 

“Hey, Honey,” Wonho kept his voice soft. He had worried, just a little, about who was going to answer the door. Seeing the other newer vampire was reassuring. “Sorry to spring this on you guys. Just really needed the help.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” the other smiled in return, opening the door for them. “Come in quick, we’ll get them fixed up,” he glanced over at Changkyun and Kihyun, mismatched eyes looking them over. “I’m Jooheon. You’re safe with us.” 

“Changkyun,” came the shaky reply. Wonho wasn’t surprised when nothing else followed. The trio was ushered inside without another word, Jooheon directing Changkyun to one of the bedrooms, already set up and waiting for them. 

Wonho could only hope that this worked out. Jooheon left them for a moment, saying he was going to gather what they needed and give them time to get comfortable. Changkyun hadn’t reacted when blood bags were mentioned, which could have been good or bad. The new vampire had taken refuge on the bed, wedging himself into the corner of the wall where the bed met it. Given that they were alone for a moment, Wonho thought it was a good time to try and talk to Changkyun again. 

“Changkyun,” he said once. No reaction. He repeated the name a few more times until the younger finally looked up at him. Wonho scooted closer, making a point to not touch them just yet. “I need to go over a few things with you, okay? You just have to listen for a little bit. You get to rest soon,” he paused and waited for some kind of response. When he saw Changkyun nod, it was better than nothing at all. 

“I know you don’t want to, but you might have to let go of Kihyun for a little bit. Just so the others can make sure he gets all the help he needs. He might need a transfusion,” he was trying his best to be understanding yet diplomatic. The tension was already back in Changkyun’s shoulders, but he wasn’t squeezing Kihyun harder. “You need help, too. The other vampires here have blood you can take, it’s safe and donated.” 

“I don’t want it.” 

“Changkyun,” Wonho pressed, but tried not to sound upset. “You have to, for now. I...I can’t even begin to understand how scared you are. Or what you’re going through. But right now, this is the safest thing you can do. If you don’t consume more-” 

“I don’t. Want it,” Changkyun’s voice dropped again, his sharp tone cutting Wonho off. A beat of silence passed between them, Wonho very keenly aware of how confined of a space he was in now. It was all dawning on him at once that Changkyun, a new vampire, had had  _ some  _ blood. And if his training said anything, it was that newborns required rather large amounts at first, until they could learn how to curb their cravings. Somehow, Changkyun hadn’t killed Kihyun before and still hadn’t despite holding the still human hunter close. 

But how much longer could Changkyun go before he lost that bit of control? 

Wonho swallowed and kept his breathing even. The only upper hand he had going for him was knowledge of the layout of the house, and other vampires that would help subdue Changkyun. Already he could see the way Changkyun’s eyes were shifting and focused solely on him, red eyes almost burning with hunger. The younger was at a tipping point, pushed to every limit he had. Wonho just happened to be an easier target in the moment. 

“Stay with me, Kkukkungie. You’re okay. We’ll figure it out, alright? Just- just try to calm down,” Wonho lifted his hands. He hoped, nearly prayed, that the nickname kept working. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, Changkyun was moving. He was wickedly fast, moving over Kihyun’s body and leaving him on the bed. Wonho swore under his breath just in time for the younger to come crashing into him.

Knocked off balance for a moment, Wonho took a step back to recover his center of gravity. The momentum of Changkyun slamming into him was enough to spin the new vampire around, as Wonho was determined to not let himself be pinned. Instead, Changkyun’s back hit the wall, hands scrabbling for a grip on Wonho, jaw already snapping at him. 

Call him risky, or call him stupid, Wonho knew he had to do something to keep Changkyun in place. Getting razor sharp fangs in his throat was bad, so he went with the next best thing. Wonho shoved his forearm up into Changkyun’s mouth, pressing him back into the wall. Not only did it work to physically pin the new vampire there, but it gave him something to latch onto. It hurt like hell as Changkyun sunk his teeth into the meat of Wonho’s arm, perhaps tearing more to get better access to a vein. 

  
But, his plan worked. Changkyun was desperate enough for blood that he simply gripped Wonho’s arm with bruising force, gulping down blood as quickly as possible. Taking deep breaths helped Wonho keep himself centered through the pain, eyes focused on the younger. Sensing something else, he looked back towards the door to see Jooheon had returned. 

The other vampire stood there, eyes wide, before Wonho jerked his head to the side. It was a signal for Jooheon to get help, which thankfully the other understood. He was gone in a flash, calling out for the others. Wonho refocused on Changkyun, gritting his teeth hard when he felt Changkyun biting through muscle, tearing into it without remorse. 

Blood dripped from his chin, slowly staining his already ruined shirt and spreading onto Wonho’s as well. Wonho’s heart was pounding in his chest as he counted down the seconds, knowing someone was going to help soon. They had to. 

He could feel his knees start to shake and sweat starting to bead on his temples. Help finally came in the form of a bony, elegant hand reaching out to grip the back of Changkyun’s neck. Wonho drew in a sharp breath as fangs were finally extracted from his arm, allowing him to grip the injured limb to his chest. A tall figure stood beside Changkyun now, hand still on the boy’s neck and easing him back. 

“Easy now,” the taller spoke softly, almost a hum. Changkyun’s eyes seemed hazy now, his body starting to go limp. 

“Good timing,” Wonho grimaced as he added more pressure to his arm. 

“Should have come in to help sooner,” the taller sighed as he pulled the young vampire into his arms, scooping him up with ease. Changkyun appeared in a trance now, gaze unfocused and cloudy, blood still coating his lips and chin. The boy was cradled in the other’s arms almost as if he was sleeping. 

“Hyungwon,” Wonho shook his head. “You still saved my ass. So thanks for that.”

“Mm,” Hyungwon nodded, but was much more focused on the vampire in his arms. “That trick doesn’t always work on newborns.” 

Hyungwon looked every bit the vampire he was with icy blue eyes and nearly white blond hair. Dressed in gray sweater and black jeans, he still seemed impeccably elegant. Wonho had grown used to seeing the vampire as such, simply one of those people that could look stunning in anything. Truth was, Wonho knew that Hyungwon was much more relaxed than his appearance made him seem, and he had a knack for putting anyone in a trance. He was also the oldest vampire Wonho knew. 

“Don’t care, worked this time,” Wonho shrugged one shoulder before wincing again. Hyungwon frowned at him and clicked his tongue. 

“I’ll make sure he gets more blood. And send Minhyuk in to help you out,” he replied and shifted Changkyun a little to a better position. “You sit still and keep pressure on your arm.”

“Yes sir,” Wonho snorted, knees finally giving out as he dropped into a chair. He was lucky there was one in the room for him to use. Hyungwon disappeared with Changkyun a moment later, leaving Wonho to sit in silence. 


	4. but you're in my memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I got hit with (hopefully) good inspiration sooo, a new chapter is here! A heads up, and potential trigger warning. There is a minor character death in this chapter, which I don't want to spoil but it's not graphic or detailed. Of course, if anyone thinks it needs to be made more of a warning, please let me know and I'll gladly change it. Thank you all for such lovely feedback and comments, it's been a big factor in wanting to continue this.

The sun was starting to rise. Shownu pinched the bridge of his nose, glaring against the growing light of day. He was exhausted, frustrated, and ready to either pass out or punch someone. He wasn’t sure which would come first at that point. Lack of sleep was eating away at his tolerance levels, not to mention the events that had rapidly unfolded before him. He hadn’t really been given the time to sort out a team, considering that the rest of his team was  _ missing.  _

Once the order had been given, Shownu knew it was time to slip on his proverbial mask. Inside, worry was eating him alive, paired with the bitterness and a deep ache of loss. The man reminded himself several times that he could mourn later- when it was more convenient for everyone else. Right now the only goal was cleaning up the remains and clearing the scene completely. Gather evidence, if any was to be found, and go from there. 

As much as he didn’t want to let himself give in to hope, Shownu found himself clinging to it. Hope that his team could be found, that they were okay and alive. No one had expected to find the carnage they came across and what little bit of hope Shownu had clung to was sliding through his fingers like sand. 

Amidst the human remains and puddles of blood, a few other things were found. Changkyun’s phone, the one that had sent out the distress call. Cut rope, showing that someone had been bound at some point. And something silver, shining in the grey morning light. Shownu crouched to see what it was, brows furrowing together as he got a better look. 

Kihyun’s knife. 

The emotionless mask still on, Shownu reached to carefully pluck it off the ground, doing his best to hide how his hands were shaking. It hadn’t been used if the lack of blood on it meant anything. But Kihyun hadn’t gone anywhere without his knife for years. Shownu had been the one to give it to him when he graduated from the training program. The only way he would have left it behind was if-

No. 

Shownu didn’t want to believe that. 

Kihyun and Changkyun were missing, but he refused to give it thought beyond that. He believed they were still alive, somewhere, and he was going to find them. 

\--

The sun was high in the sky now and Shownu still hadn’t stopped. The scene was mostly cleared of bodies, though some part of him was thankful he didn’t have to scrape all the remains up off of the concrete floors. Beyond the rope and knife, little evidence had been found. Foot prints, signs that someone had gone around the grounds, but nothing else. 

Exhaustion was making it hard to think. Shownu hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours at that point; every inch of him was aching for rest. Irritability slipped out from under his mask, one he had been trying hard to keep in place. A subtle pounding was growing in his temple, which only served to make everything feel worse. The other hunters on the scene with him noticed, however, some even urging him to return back to the base and rest. Shownu was well aware that he was beyond the point of being able to do his job properly, even if he was sure Commander Kim would have demanded he stay at the scene no matter what. 

Shownu had given himself a minute to sit down on the bottom level of the building, perching himself on one of the old window sills. Head propped back against the frame, Shownu ended up staring into space. He found a rather interesting blank spot on the wall and stuck to it. 

“Hey, Shownu,” a voice called out to him. Shownu wasn’t sure how long he had been staring into space. “Shownu,” this time, a foot bumped against his own, kicking at Shownu’s boot. “Captain Son!” the voice sounded concerned. 

Shownu’s head snapped up to focus on the speaker, blinking a few times as he realized who was there. Gunhee stood before him, hands shoved into his pockets, one eyebrow quirked up at him. There was only a  _ slightly _ annoyed look on his face. 

“Oh, did you find something?” Shownu asked, rubbing at his eyes in an effort to help the dryness he felt. 

“No,” shook his head. “I found you sitting here, looking ready to keel over. You need to go home.” 

“Since when do you give me orders?” Shownu snorted, though the smile on his face proved he wasn’t upset. 

“Since you decided to be stubbornly awake for...how long, now?” Gunhee removed one hand from his pocket, waving it at Shownu. It was a rhetorical question, but Shownu was still too embarrassed to give a real answer. “You look like shit, my dude.” 

“You have such a way with words, did you know that?” Shownu countered. Gunhee only frowned harder at him. 

“Go home. Get some sleep,” he kicked at Shownu’s boot again, hands back in his pocket once more. Shownu stared at him in response, matching his earlier frown. With a heavy sigh, Gunhee shook his head. “Listen, I know how worried you’ve got to be about them. I’m the same way with my team. I can’t even figure out what the fuck Yoonho is up to half the time and that’s enough to drive me crazy.” 

Oddly enough, it was a little reassuring for Shownu. If anyone worried about their team like he did, it was Gunhee. Yoonho was a little younger than Changkyun, newer to the job still. Shownu could understand the concern and knew Gunhee understood just as well. 

“Call me if you find anything?” Shownu asked, finally admitting defeat for now. He was going to fall asleep on the concrete if he wasn’t careful. “And I mean anything. Traces, evidence, witnesses.” 

“You know I will,” Gunhee nodded. “I won’t keep you in the dark. I can even say I requested to take over for you, so Kim doesn’t have a shit fit about leaving your post,” his tone mocked their Commander’s. Shownu forced out a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment. 

“I want a written report if nothing else,” Shownu said as he stood again, wobbling in place. Gunhee rolled his eyes harder than ever. 

“Of course, oh great Captain Son.” 

“Shut up,” Shownu gave a light shove, both men grinning for a moment. It was a slight reprieve from the misery he was in, no matter how brief it was. “I’ll head back then. Thank you.” 

“Any time,” Gunhee winked at him then, before smacking his shoulder and sending him off. Given how tired Shownu felt, he asked another hunter to drive him back to base. 

No sooner had he gotten back to his room, kicked his boots off, and managed to pull his shirt over his head, did he pass out on his old bed, asleep within seconds. 

\--

_ A soft laugh, almost more of a giggle, made Shownu open his eyes again. He blinked a few times against the sunlight shining down on him. It was warm like a fresh blanket from the dryer, wrapped snugly around him, comfort washing over him. He remembered this feeling, that little laugh above him, the warmth from more than just the sun above them. Eventually, his eyes settled on a face.  _

_ “Having a good nap?” Wonho asked, fingers in Shownu’s hair. Shownu’s head rested pillowed against Wonho’s thigh, practically cradled there like he was something precious.  _

_ “Very,” Shownu nodded and let his eyes close again though he didn’t immediately fall back to sleep. Another laugh bubbled up from Wonho’s chest. Shownu cracked open an eye to see that gummy smile he had grown to love so much. Wonho kept petting his hair, a soft breeze passing over the pair. “What’s so funny?” Shownu peered up at the other again.  _

_ “You were making faces in your sleep. Sort of disgruntled, it was really cute,” the other hummed as he pushed Shownu’s hair off of his forehead. It all fell back into place as soon as Wonho’s hand moved, but Shownu didn’t mind. The attention felt too good to care.  _

_ It was normal for them to slip outside when they could and enjoy some fresh air. Just the two of them. Shownu didn’t always end up asleep in Wonho’s lap but today he was just tired. Wonho never seemed to mind as long as they were close.  _

_ “So,” Wonho started.  _

_ “Never a good thing when you start with ‘so’,” Shownu mumbled, eyes still closed.  _

_ “What do you mean?”  _

_ He could practically hear the pout in Wonho’s voice and picture it perfectly without even looking at him.  _

_ “I mean, when you start things with so, it’s always an indicator that you’ve been thinking too much and get all...introspective,” Shownu explained. When he didn’t hear an answer in return, he opened his eyes to see Wonho still very much pouting down at him. “Hey,” Shownu reached a hand up to brush over Wonho’s cheek. “I’m sorry. You can tell me whatever you’re thinking.”  _

_ “You just called me broody, only fancier,” Wonho huffed. “I’m  not  broody.” Shownu moved his hand and poked the spot between Wonho’s bunched together brows.  _

_ “This little knot says otherwise,” Shownu hummed. He shifted then, carefully sitting up so he could look at the other better. “Talk to me, Seokkie.”  _

_ “You’re right, and I’m mad about it,” Wonho scoffed that time before puffing his cheeks out. Maximum pout had been reached.  _

_ “All the more reason to talk to me then,” Shownu suggested. He took Wonho’s hand in his own before the other could move away, squeezing it gently. Wonho was so typically an open book, never shying away from his emotions or being afraid to feel down. Shownu worried plenty that he got too into his own head sometimes, that Wonho was too gentle and loving with everyone else to remember to be gentle with himself as well.  _

_ “I guess,” Wonho started, face scrunching up. “I was thinking about what happens when we’re done?” _

_ “Done? You mean like retirement?” Shownu asked, only for clarification. Wonho nodded, his eyes focused away from Shownu, clearly thinking something out.  _

_ “I’d like to think we all make it to old age together, and get to live a happy life away from killing things,” Wonho shifted, mouth drawn up into another pout. Shownu thought there would be more to say, but perhaps the other man was holding himself back to prevent being too emotional.  _

_ “I think we will,” Shownu spoke softly. “I want the same thing, so I hope that’s what happens,” he squeezed Wonho’s hand again, smiling when he saw those brown eyes shining at him, watery like he might cry but also the softest sight in the world.  _

_ “Good,” Wonho smiled again, moving to throw his arms around Shownu’s wide shoulders, planting a kiss on his lips. The sudden shift caused Shownu to tip back, landing in the grass with soft thud. The pair laughed through the kisses, arms wrapped around each other. Shownu never wanted the moment to end. _

_“I’m curious,” Shownu started after a pause. “What made you think of that anyway?” His hands settled on Wonho’s hips, smiling up at the other. Wonho was still grinning back at him, even as he cupped Shownu’s cheeks in his hands. Somehow, the light didn’t reach his eyes anymore._

_ “Because I don’t want you to abandon me again.” _

\--

Shownu jolted awake with a gasp. After several deep breaths he realized he was in his own room, tangled in the sheets and completely alone. A thin layer of sweat caused his skin to prickle against the cool air. Another dream that had felt so real, he was sure Wonho was back with him. But his own guilt twisted it, leaving Shownu to always wonder if he could have fought harder. Could have protected Wonho more than he did, and not turn his back on him. 

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, Shownu disentangled himself from the blankets and sheets, forcing himself up and awake. The clock on his bedside table said he had managed to sleep for a better part of the day, apparently too exhausted to do anything else. He took the time to shower and change clothes just so he could feel marginally more human. 

By the time he was finished with that and dealing with an empty stomach, he wondered if any reports had come in yet. Mind somewhat cleared, the worry and grief pushed deep down to deal with later, Shownu sought out information from the investigation site. He grabbed his phone and shot a message to Gunhee for an update. 

**[Son]: Any updates?**

**[Song]: Was just about to get you. Got a guy for questioning.**

**[Son]: Meet you in the interrogation room**

Shownu didn’t wait for a reply from Gunhee, already dressed and out the door right after sending the message. He could assume that the person in question was human, or else Gunhee would have specified otherwise. The fact that this new suspect was brought in meant that there was a potential for valuable information to be gleaned from them. 

For a moment, he wondered if he should have gone to the commander. But Shownu decided that Kim was the last person he wanted to see or deal with, especially given how their last interaction had gone. Pushing down all of his own feelings, or at least attempting to, Shownu made his way to the basement of the facility, where Gunhee was already waiting for him outside of a closed door, still dressed in his full gear, gun still on his hip. Hunters carried a variety of weapons, though Shownu always noticed that Gunhee had a tendency to go for more firepower. 

Apparently, he hadn’t taken a break since returning to their base, either. 

“You good?” Gunhee asked, giving Shownu a once over. The elder paused, finding it strange that he was being asked that. 

“I’m fine. Who’s the guy you found?” 

“Shownu,” the other shook his head. “You look ready to beat someone’s ass. And that’s not a look I see from you very often.” 

Only when it was pointed out did Shownu realize how tense he had become. Immediately, he knew he had to ease up or else he would get nowhere in asking questions. Drawing in a few deep breaths, he worked to calm himself to the best of his abilities- ignoring the small voice chiding him for letting it get that bad. 

“I’m okay, now. Just got a little worked up. You can come in with me if you want,” he offered, hoping it proved that he was okay to proceed. Gunhee shook his head, and while he didn’t know everything Shownu had been through in the last two days, it was clearly more than he was letting on. 

“I’ll stay out here. Don’t want to scare the guy,” Gunhee sighed. Shownu just nodded and rolled with it. He was too eager to get into the room and ask questions. 

“Does he have a name?” 

“Said he goes by Seongjin. Wouldn’t give a full name beyond that,” Gunhee explained. “He did come with us willingly, looked like he was ready to go into a full melt down when we found him.”

“Where was that, exactly?” Shownu raised a brow at the other. 

“In the area, probably around the backside of the main building we looked at. He wasn’t that hidden, looked like he might have been there for a while. Maybe in shock?” Gunhee offered, and Shownu nodded. That was something to work with and enough for Shownu to feel confident in talking to him. 

“I’ve got it from here. Thanks,” Shownu nodded to Gunhee, who gave him a small salute in return. Shownu turned and knocked on the door before entering, quickly noticing an older man sitting inside. 

The room was well lit and while not the coziest, it wasn’t meant to be a scary place, either. Couches and chairs, a small table with drinks should anyone need them, made the room seem welcoming enough. It was just a place to talk to people that might have had an encounter with vampires, that could provide information should such a moment arise. 

“Hello,” Shownu waved as he moved to sit in one of the cushy armchairs, watching the older man closely. “My name is Shownu. My friend told me you’re Seongjin.” 

“Yes,” the man, Seongjin, answered. His face was rough and bearded, wrinkles forming deep lines in his face around his eyes and forehead. His hair was thin, dirty from being outside, his clothes looking much the same- threadbare and worn. It was easy to tell the man had been homeless for a while now, though Shownu admittedly wasn’t looking for his entire story. 

“Would it be alright if I asked you some questions about the area you were in? And anything you might have seen?” Shownu started, noting that the man did not flinch away from such questions. Seongjin was older, yes, but he still looked shaken. Anyone would be after coming across a grisly scene like that of the old warehouse. 

“I saw that thing,” Seongjin answered before Shownu could ask. “It- I don’t know, it wasn’t human, it wasn’t-” he cut himself off and shook his head, hands shaking where they rested in his lap. 

“You’re safe here,” Shownu reassured. “And once we’re done, I’ll make sure you have somewhere safe and warm to stay at.” 

The promise of a safe space seemed to bring Seongjin around. Shownu offered some protection as well, to make sure no vampires or otherwise could find the old man. It was another common enough practice for humans they had to work with. When Seongjin said he was ready to talk, Shownu started with his team. 

“You were in the same area the last few nights, right?” A nod. “Okay. Did you happen to see either of these men?” Shownu dug out his phone, motioning for Seongjin to wait for a moment. He didn’t have their most recent photos, but one from a few months prior. Shownu had snapped a picture of them on their day off, where surprisingly enough neither of them were making a stupid face. Holding the phone out for the other to see, Shownu hoped he had something to work with. 

“That one!” Seongjin almost shrieked, suddenly terrified. He lifted a crooked finger, shaking as he pointed towards Changkyun. “That-that’s the thing I saw! It...it was eating-” his breath quickened and Shownu quickly turned the phone away. 

“Calm down,” Shownu urged. “I need you to tell me exactly what you saw. I need as many details as you can give me.” 

“Whatever i-it was-” Seongjin shook his head and closed his eyes. “I heard screams all night. Saw it taking others into the building,” he paused to sniffle and take a deep breath. “I hid. I didn’t fight it, just wanted to live.” 

“So,” Shownu started, ignoring how tight his chest felt. “You’re absolutely certain what you saw was the man in that picture? And he was the one attacking people?” 

“Yes,” Seongjin nodded, eyes wide as he stared at Shownu. “All those bodies- that thing did it. It attacked all those people!” 

“Did you see them any of the previous nights leading up to that? They were both on patrol for a while there,” Shownu tilted his head, trying to keep his expression calm and cool. 

“No, no, never saw them before.” 

“I need you to tell me if you saw the other one that night,” Shownu flipped through his photos again until he found one of just Kihyun. Seongjin nervously eyed his phone again and nodded after a moment. Shownu waited on baited breath, staring intensely at Seongjin. 

“Saw that thing drag him away somewhere else,” Seongjin swallowed hard. “Kept yelling about something- don’t know what. Ran right past my hiding spot.” 

Shownu could feel his hands starting to shake. With this information, something happened to his team. It indicated that Changkyun might have been turned. That he and Kihyun were still in the city somewhere. Pieces were missing, Shownu’s mind going into overdrive as he tried to sort out what he could. Then something dawned on him and his heart almost stopped. 

“What was your name again?” Shownu needed to hear it again. 

“Seongjin, s-sir,” the old man wrung his hands together. “Can I go now? Am I safe?” 

“Soon,” Shownu stood suddenly, shoving his phone back into his jeans. “I just have to make a note of what you told me. Just relax and wait here,” Shownu knew he was speaking too quickly to be any kind of comfort, his own nervousness clear as day. Instead of waiting, Shownu practically ran from the room, even past a very startled Gunhee. 

“Shownu!” Gunhee shouted after him. 

“Can’t, just keep an eye on him!” Shownu called back over his shoulder. He hadn’t thought to bring any of the reports with him before, having gone to talk to Gunhee so quickly. Shownu ran until he was skidding to a halt outside of his room, panting as he grabbed for files and reports. 

Kihyun was always good at reports. Detail oriented and never holding back on any information, there was never a lack of anything in Kihyun’s reports. Sure, it took longer to write and read, but Shownu preferred the excess information versus not enough. He dug through the ones he had received, flipping the pages over and over until he saw what he was looking for.

On the first night of their new patrol, Kihyun had recorded that he and Changkyun came across several homeless people in the area. It was a simple relocation, just as Shownu had told Seongjin they could do for him. But therein lay the issue at hand. Kihyun had recorded all of the names of those they moved to safety. Kihyun  _ always  _ recorded everything. There, on the page he had read several days ago, was a name. 

_ ‘Seongjin. Declined to give a family name. _ ’

Shownu was still panting as he gripped the paper hard, reading the name over and over. The descriptors Kihyun had listed matched as well. Still clinging to the report, Shownu tore off back down the hall, feet pounding as he ran back to the room. The story the man had given Shownu didn’t match what was in the reports. 

Kihyun never messed up on reports; he was entirely too meticulous to get it wrong. Even Changkyun was thorough and had signed off as a witness to what Kihyun recorded. Seongjin had lied and Shownu needed to find out why. 

Gunhee was still in the hall when Shownu came back, pacing and quickly shoving his phone away when the elder hunter appeared. 

“Shownu, what the hell is wrong with you? What the hell is  _ happening? _ ” Gunhee was distraught, trying to grab Shownu’s arm and get his attention. But Shownu was determined and shoved him away. 

“Not now,” Shownu threw the door open again, ignoring Gunhee’s protests. The door banged into the wall once it was open, Shownu marching towards Seongjin. The old man looked terrified to see the hunter coming at him so quickly as he scrambled to get off the couch he was seated on. 

“W-what-” Seongjin started but Shownu held his hand up. 

“You lied,” he almost hissed. “And you better start telling the truth right now, or all deals of safety are off the table.” 

“Shownu!” Gunhee shouted as he scrambled into the room. “You can’t just threaten people-”

“He knows more than he’s telling us. He was relocated the first night of their patrol, and shouldn’t have been in the area at all, which also means that he saw both Kihyun and Changkyun before the night of the attack. So, Seongjin,” Shownu turned his attention to the older man. “You need to tell me what’s going on.  _ Right. Now _ .” 

“Wh- I...I can’t! I told you the truth! You can’t prove-” 

“I can, and I will,” Shownu grit his teeth. His team was at risk and his anger was unchecked in the moment. 

“Shownu, stand down,” Gunhee growled out. He came closer to the pair, trying to get between the two. Shownu had just a few inches on Gunhee and was using every bit of it against the other. 

“Get out of my way,” Shownu focused his glare on the hunter. Gunhee, his back to Seongjin, put his hands on Shownu’s chest, urging his friend to calm down once again. Neither of them noticed the old man suddenly lunging forward. It all happened in a flash, Shownu noticing the glint of metal in the lights of the room. Gunhee was shouting, Shownu was frozen for a split second as he realized it was not Gunhee that had grabbed the gun from his belt. Everything was a blur until a deafening sound rang out in the room. 

Seongjin collapsed in a heap, blood pooling quickly around his head, soaking into fabric of the couch and spreading across the floor. Shownu’s ears were still ringing as he stood there with Gunhee, both trying to process what had just happened. 

Shownu felt like all the air was sucked out of the room as he stared down at Seongjin’s body. His first and only lead was gone, laying dead at his feet. 


	5. all of me, all in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand we're back! I'm not super happy with how this chapter came out, but it felt so good to write again I just went with it as best as I could. It's mostly emotional and angsty filler before I get into more plot stuff. Anyone else freaking HYPED for Wonho's album coming out? Because I might have been awake at 4 am when the notification dropped that pre-orders were open and bought all three versions. Also Monsta X's concert last weekend? I'm rolling in content and I am Living.

Waking up had never been much of a process for Kihyun before. Granted, he also hadn’t had a concussion before, which made everything that much more difficult. He groaned as consciousness came back to him in waves, each wave reigniting another ache in his body. Kihyun had woken up sore plenty of times, but never quite like this. There was a tiredness settled into his bones that made it feel harder to move, to do anything other than sleep. 

His head felt like it was packed full of cotton, an uncomfortable pressure pounding out from his temples. For one brief, disorienting moment of waking, Kihyun thought he was back in his own bed. That maybe Changkyun was still beside him and all was as it should be. But the memories of what had happened came creeping back in. Kihyun tensed, feeling the ball of panic rising in his chest, clenching around his heart. 

“Kihyun?” the voice sounded familiar but Kihyun wasn’t sure who it belonged to just yet. Part of him was afraid to open his eyes and see who it was. He would know Changkyun’s voice without a doubt, Kihyun was sure of that, and that hadn’t been it. Tears stung at his eyes. If he was hearing a different voice, didn’t that mean Changkyun wasn’t there? That something had happened to him? 

“Oh, Kihyun, no don’t cry,” the voice came closer, filled with concern. Something soft dabbed against his cheek, catching the tears that were falling. Despite the reassurance, Kihyun squeezed his eyes shut even tighter, unwilling to face the world that was waiting for him. As if the familiar voice knew what the issue was, it spoke again. “You and Changkyun are safe. He’s okay.” 

Kihyun’s eyes flew open, blinking away the remaining tears that blurred his vision. The pounding was still present in his head but felt further away when he had something else to focus on. When he saw that it was none other than Wonho speaking to him, Kihyun felt even more dazed. 

“Hyung?” Kihyun’s voice scratched at his throat, causing the younger man to grimace. His throat felt raw, like he had swallowed shards of glass. “What- where are we?” Too many questions wanted to pour out of his mouth at once. Wonho gave him a soft smile in return and put his hand up, halting Kihyun from saying more. 

“Take a deep breath for me first.” Kihyun took one, and then another when prompted again. “Thank you. Drink some water and I’ll fill you in,” Wonho reached for a bottle of water on a nightstand by the bed. With one hand, he helped ease Kihyun into an upright position, propping pillows behind his back to keep him there. Soft reassurances were whispered to him as Wonho helped Kihyun drink. The water soothed the ache in Kihyun’s throat, making it easier to speak again. 

“Well?” Kihyun looked to Wonho expectantly. Wonho chuckled a little, mumbling something about how Kihyun hadn’t changed at all. 

“First thing’s first, you are safe here. So is Changkyun. X doesn’t know you’re here, nor should they be able to find you,” Wonho explained. Kihyun listened, patient as ever, knowing that the elder would get to all the details. “You’ve been out for about two days. Mostly, anyway. Woke up a few times but I don’t think you were completely conscious.” 

That was true, at least. Kihyun had no recollection of waking up before now. 

“Changkyun is-” Wonho paused and grimaced a little. He was choosing words carefully, if Kihyun still knew his facial tells. “He’s as okay as he can be right now, I think. We’re all currently at my friend’s home, and they’re helping Changkyun adjust.” 

“Adjust,” Kihyun deadpanned. Wonho winced again at the tone. 

“You remember what happened?” Wonho asked. Kihyun nodded. “I don’t know all the details, Changkyun wasn’t able to tell me. A few nights ago he showed up at my place with you in his arms. I got the basics, but that was all he could communicate. I brought you both here to keep you safe and get help. My friends that live here are, um,” Wonho cleared his throat. “They’re vampires.” 

“Where’s Changkyun?” Kihyun asked, decidedly skipping over the whole being around vampires. 

“He’s with Hyungwon,” Wonho answered. “Hyungwon is making sure he’s getting the blood he needs. I’m sure you’ll get to see him later.” 

“I want to see him now,” Kihyun stared hard at the other, eyes almost burning into Wonho. 

“Kihyun, it’s really not a good idea to see him at the moment,” Wonho tried to soothe Kihyun, but was only met with more resistance. “It’s not safe for a human to be near him,” his hand settled over the bandages wrapped around his forearm without even thinking about it. A human, Kihyun thought. Wonho was indicating that Changkyun wasn’t human anymore. That his humanity was gone now and he was only something  _ other.  _ Whether he meant to or not Kihyun wasn’t sure, but it still made him feel sick to think about.

“Did he do that?” Kihyun pointed to the bandaged arm. He had noticed the movement and Wonho seemed a bit embarrassed to be asked about it. 

“Yes,” Wonho nodded. His brows lowered in concern. “Partially my own fault. I should have gotten blood for him sooner. He didn’t want to hurt you, and I needed to make sure he didn’t bolt or do anything else. So I offered my arm,” Not the complete truth, but Wonho knew it was easier than giving all the grim details. 

“He’ll listen to me.” 

“What?” the other blinked a few times. “What do you mean?”

“He listened to me the night he was turned. He stopped before he killed me,” Kihyun said without missing a beat. He was certain he could make it work again, no matter what. 

“No,” Wonho shook his head. “No, you’re not going to try that. Not right now. He needs the space to…” his voice drifted off, clearly unable to find the right words. “To deal with what’s happening to him.” 

“And being alone with a strange vampire is supposed to be giving him space?” Kihyun questioned with a glare. Wonho sighed, frustrated. 

“Hyungwon is able to keep him under control, it’s like he puts him in a trance. Docile, I guess is a better word-” 

“That’s supposed to be better?” Kihyun’s voice started to rise. Wonho shook his head, biting his lip. Kihyun only grew more frustrated, more annoyed that he wasn’t getting a good enough answer. Why couldn’t he see Changkyun? “I want to see him now, I don’t care if he’s a vampire or might bite me, whatever stupid shit you might be thinking,” Kihyun’s tone was sharp and biting. 

“Please, I know this is hard right now-” 

“I just want to see him!” Kihyun balled his hands into fists, knuckles turning white. Wonho floundered for a moment, mouth opening and closing a few times. He was trying to come up with reasons to keep Kihyun from seeking Changkyun out, but was finally left with no other option. 

“He doesn’t want to see  _ you _ , Ki.” 

\--

Hyungwon was tired. That wasn’t exactly something new for him, but keeping a newborn vampire in check was exhausting business. Minhyuk and Jooheon paired together proved to be a handful even on their calm days. Hyungwon would be lying if he said he didn’t love the both of them with everything he had, even if there were times he wanted to throttle them. 

He hadn’t entirely planned on being the one to be on duty with this new vampire and yet here he was, sitting in the basement, lap full of newborn vampire, offering up another blood bag. Changkyun- Hyungwon learned that was his name- was not nearly as feral as he had been previously. The younger boy had become more docile with blood to consume, even if he looked absolutely torn about it the entire time. Changkyun had become coherent enough, though, to say that he refused to see Kihyun. Hyungwon noted that that was the man unconscious upstairs. Not wanting to push his luck with the newborn remaining calm, Hyungwon simply agreed that Kihyun would not be allowed in to see him. At that moment, he was thankful that Minhyuk had gone on a recent blood run and brought back a good supply from the bank. 

Empty blood bags littered the floor around them. Hyungwon counted five, a sixth in his hand for Changkyun to take. It was then the newborn finally shook his head, declining any more blood. Hyungwon raised a brow at Changkyun for it but didn’t force the issue. Hyungwon’s long legs were stretched out, Changkyun sitting between them with his own legs hooked over Hyungwon’s thigh.    
  


While not normally someone that liked physical affection, especially with strangers, Hyungwon’s found he didn’t mind the new vampire sitting so close. Perhaps, the elder vampire thought, his whole calming trick made the target clingy. Hyungwon had never found the exact way to explain what he could do, other than playing it up as magic. It wasn’t that, not really, but something that developed when he had been turned so many centuries ago. Perhaps it was a trait from his own maker, formed to lure prey in and make it easy. Hyungwon hadn’t used it for that in years, finding it could work against other vampires when needed. 

“Changkyun?” Hyungwon started in a soft tone. The younger vampire tensed for a moment, but didn’t raise his eyes to meet the elder’s. “Are you sure you’re done?” 

“Yes,” he croaked out, wiping at his mouth with his sleeve. Hyungwon wanted to fuss at him for it, but reminded himself that he did not know Changkyun. This wasn’t Jooheon or Minhyuk. 

“Alright. I’ll give you some more after you rest. You’ll need it,” Hyungwon scooted the fresh blood bag away for now.

“Who are you?” Changkyun asked. Hyungwon snorted softly, not surprised that Changkyun didn’t remember his name. 

“Hyungwon,” he answered. “And yes, I am a vampire.” 

“I know,” Changkyun sounded frustrated. Hyungwon was glad that his smile remained hidden for the time being. “What did you do to me?” 

“Gave you blood,” Hyungwon stated the obvious. Changkyun shook his head at that before the heels of his palms dug into his eyes. “Do you mean making you not so feral? That was just a fancy trick of mine. You needed to be calm, so I made you calm.” 

“Why am I in your lap?” 

“You wouldn’t let go once I brought you down here. So,” Hyungwon waved a bony hand in their general space, signifying that they had just ended up that way. “If you’re uncomfortable, you are free to move.” 

Changkyun nodded slowly, shifting his legs to start to move away from the vampire. He was careful, unsure of his movements, like he had to remember how his body worked. Hyungwon wouldn’t have been surprised if that was the case. When a human was changed into a vampire, everything became different. Became  _ more _ . All senses were heightened, strength increased, stamina as well. And hunger became stronger than ever, even if the food source was blood. Shakily, Changkyun got up and moved to sit across from Hyungwon instead of in his lap. 

“What happens now?” Changkyun lifted his head finally, staring at Hyungwon. The elder vampire actually felt a pang in his chest at how broken the young man sounded. Hyungwon knew full well that the change was far from easy, only made worse when it wasn’t wanted. Even without the details, he could see that whatever had happened to Changkyun and Kihyun had been traumatic. 

“I can’t tell you where to go from here,” Hyungwon’s voice was still soft, almost sleepy sounding. “But right now, in this moment, you are safe. You and your friends are welcome here. We owe Wonho that much, and I would never turn away someone in need.” When Changkyun only gave him a confused look, Hyungwon elaborated more. “You can figure out your next step here. But there’s no rush, no trouble, nothing like that. You’ll be provided blood you need to maintain your body, and no harm will come to either of you.” 

“What if I don’t drink it?” Changkyun dropped into a low whisper, voice rough in his throat. It was a struggle to say such a thing, that much was clear. 

“At this stage, you’ll simply lash out and try to drink whatever you can get a hold of,” he didn’t want to lie to the new vampire. “If you manage to keep that at bay, however, you will die. Eventually.” 

“Eventually?” Changkyun swallowed hard. “It takes that long?” 

“Yes,” Hyungwon blinked once, curious. “You were a hunter like Wonho, weren’t you? Do you not know what happens to vampires that don’t get the blood they need?” 

“Never seemed necessary,” Changkyun admitted with a shrug of his shoulder. He stared at the ground again, sinking into himself like he might collapse completely if he were capable of doing so. “Just...knew that they could go feral. Never what happened if they never had blood again.” 

“They waste away like a starving human. Only when a human body starts to shut down, your’s no longer reacts that way. Organs won’t fail the same way, and it can take a very long time. None of which feels good.” 

Was he trying to scare Changkyun into not denying blood already? A little bit. 

“That’s enough on that, though,” Hyungwon waved his hand, as if he were brushing the topic away. “You’re going through so much right now, Changkyun. You’ve got a lot to process and deal with. I might be well past my own change now, but trust me when I say I understand. Work on what you have right now, don’t think about everything else.” 

“How old are you?” Changkyun’s eyes peaked up at him for a moment before going back down. 

“Three-hundred and twenty-six.” Hyungwon’s icy blue eyes stayed focused on Changkyun, concerned for the new vampire. While he wasn’t a mindreader, it was easy to see what was happening when Changkyun’s head stayed down and his shoulders started to shake. It hurt his heart, even if he barely knew the boy sitting across from him. No one deserved to suffer like that. “I’m sorry you have to go through this.” 

The boy responded with a muffled cry, curling into himself as he sobbed. 

\--

Changkyun didn’t want to see him. Kihyun repeated the words in his head over and over, thinking about nothing else. When he had demanded more answers from Wonho, he hadn’t gotten much. The elder didn’t know what else to say, other than Changkyun had made the specific request to not see Kihyun. 

Several days had passed and Kihyun was still without Changkyun. The most he had learned was that Changkyun stayed in the basement. Fully finished and clean- Wonho had reassured Kihyun in an attempt to keep him from worrying more. It didn’t really work in the long run, but Kihyun knew Wonho was trying. He had decided to stay mostly confined in the bedroom he had been put in, only leaving a handful of times with Wonho right beside him. To think that they had been in the home for nearly five days now was daunting. Wonho had eventually coaxed Kihyun out of the bedroom, determined to make him clean up and eat something. 

“This is Jooheon, and this is Minhyuk,” Wonho introduced the pair with a grin. He was likely trying his best to lighten the mood and make everyone feel at peace. 

“Nice to meet you,” Jooheon smiled, dimpled cheeks on full display. “Formally, anyway.” Kihyun thought it strange how in one moment Jooheon looked intimidating and the next, he looked like the definition of a cherub-faced sweetheart. All it took was a smile to make his sharp stare turn soft. 

“Jooheon here is a newer vampire, too,” Wonho explained. 

“Yep,” Jooheon nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t try to bite you or anything,” he gave another bright smile before Wonho shot him a look. Jooheon seemed to shrink back at that, realizing what he had said. “Sorry,” he cleared his throat. “Didn’t mean to imply-” 

“You didn’t,” Kihyun replied, tone clipped. The conversation screeched to a halt at that point, Kihyun happy for that. The last thing he wanted to talk about was new vampires. 

“Well,” Wonho tried to start a new topic, scratching at his neck. “Hyungwon will make an appearance at some point, I’m sure. They’ve all talked and you and Changkyun are safe to stay here as long as you need.” 

“Thank you for helping us,” Kihyun bowed his head to both the vampires sitting at the dining room table. Minhyuk had been deceptively quiet as he sat there before he broke into a wide grin as well. 

“You don’t have to be formal with us,” Minhyuk laughed. “I know this is a shit situation you’re in, but you can relax a little with us. We’re super chill.” 

“They are chaotic forces of nature, do not let him convince you otherwise,” Wonho countered immediately. 

“Absolutely not true,” Minhyuk pointed at Wonho, looking offended. Even Jooheon started to cackle at the implication, agreeing with Wonho in an instant. Minhyuk was left whining that he had been betrayed by such a statement. It was supposed to be a funny moment, Kihyun was sure, something normal between them all. An ice breaker for the tension in the room. The only thing Kihyun could do was force out a chuckle. 

The vampires were all living together as a family, even stocking food for the humans that they declared as friends. Kihyun knew that vampires could technically eat human food easily enough; they simply didn’t benefit from it at all. Kihyun had never been exactly great at socializing outside of his normal ring of people, made even worse by what had brought him here. 

He felt terribly out of place. Wonho knew all of them and spoke like they had been friends for years. Kihyun only longed to see Changkyun, not quite unwilling to befriend the vampires, but far from the right head-space for it. He retreated back to “his” room soon enough, claiming his head hurt too much to keep talking. No one bothered him after that. 

\--

It might have seemed like Changkyun was attempting to protect Kihyun and avoid the risk of a human being close to danger. To anyone of the others in the household, it probably appeared to be just that. But Kihyun knew better. He knew Changkyun and what those words really meant. 

There was truth in wanting to keep Kihyun safe and avoid temptation, but it was much more of Changkyun not wanting to be seen at all. Kihyun was sure guilt was eating away at the younger, certain that Changkyun’s mind was filled with self-loathing for what had happened. He was a vampire now- the same creatures they were taught to track down and hunt. Taught that they were something less than human and had to be contained. 

How else could he feel becoming something they were encouraged to hate? Even if they both had never hated them, had never been cruel in their jobs, they had still hunted vampires. With this, their way of life was gone. Everything was. 

Kihyun didn’t want to sit in a strange room and wait for something else any longer. He wasn’t entirely fond of being in a borrowed pair of basketball shorts and a too large tee-shirt either. Wonho was still there with him, talking about the inhabitants of the home, but Kihyun was hardly listening. All he could think of was Changkyun sitting in the basement, alone and scared. That was all it took for Kihyun to start thinking of a plan. 

“Do you want something to eat?” Wonho asked. Kihyun blinked as he came out of his thoughts, staring at Wonho for a moment. He still had a pounding headache that came and went but tried to ignore it. 

“I could try,” Kihyun replied. He didn’t want food at all, but it would get Wonho out of the room. 

“Good,” Wonho smiled softly, standing with one arm still cradled against his chest. “I’ll go dig around and see what they have here. Try to relax a little, yeah? Your head is going to explode if you think any harder.” 

“Sure, hyung,” Kihyun forced a smile of his own, tired and far from reaching his eyes. Wonho didn’t comment on it before he left the room. Kihyun strained to listen to the fading footsteps, holding his breath as seconds ticked by. Once he was sure that Wonho was down the hall, Kihyun was out of bed and moving. 

Kihyun was one that didn’t like to be called small. He wasn’t, really, until he was compared to the likes of Shownu or Wonho. But sometimes, being on the smaller side benefited him- like when he was trying to sneak down a hallway in an unfamiliar home. Changkyun was really the sneakier shit out of the pair, but Kihyun had learned much from him.

Voices indicated that Wonho and the others were gathered in the kitchen, speaking in soft tones and shuffling about. Cabinets opened and closed, a few dishes clinking together. Kihyun smirked to himself, knowing they were preoccupied enough to miss him entirely. Given that he had been in the home for nearly a week now ( _ a week of no Changkyun- _ ) Kihyun had a somewhat decent idea of where the door to the basement was. 

Moving quickly and quietly, Kihyun dashed around the corner, creeping through the living room and into another hall. A staircase led to the second floor that Kihyun hadn’t seen yet, but was exactly what he was looking for. The end of the hall with the stairs held a door, one that Kihyun had guessed to be the basement. 

As he scurried to approach it, a thought came to him. What was he going to do once he got down there? What would he tell Hyungwon- the vampire he only saw briefly and knew to be keeping watch over Changkyun- he was doing? Would Hyungwon try to stop him? 

“Fuck it,” Kihyun hissed to himself, going for the door anyway. Just as he was reaching out for the doorknob, it cracked open. Kihyun practically threw himself backwards and came face to face with none other than Hyungwon. 

The vampire blinked a few times, impassive and quiet. Kihyun went stock-still as he was caught in a staring competition with the much taller man. Hyungwon stood with one hand still on the doorknob, the other hanging by his side.

“You could have knocked,” Hyungwon said simply before stepping around Kihyun in a few long strides. “Go see him. He needs to see someone other than me, even if he says he doesn’t want to.” 

Well, that solved that issue. 

“You’re not-” 

“Stopping you? No,” Hyungwon’s voice was soft, just a touch nasally. There was something soothing to it, Kihyun thought. “I’ll be close by, so I can hear if anything goes wrong. Go to him.” 

With that, Kihyun whispered out a quick thanks before he took off for the stairs. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he heard Hyungwon chortle. His heart was racing as he skittered down the stairs, somehow beating harder than it had been when Hyungwon appeared at the door. Behind him, the door was pulled shut again. 

Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Kihyun took a deep breath to steady himself. Changkyun wasn’t immediately visible though the sound of shuffling is enough to know he was still in the room. 

A few lamps dimly lit the area, giving Kihyun just enough light to step further in and look around. It was furnished nicely with a large sectional couch, a flat screen television, a few other decorations, throw blankets, everything that said it was an average home. What appeared to be a built in wine cellar stood at the other end of the basement, sealed with a heavy glass door. Kihyun found it odd for a moment before it dawned on him that it was likely where they stored their blood. 

“Changkyun?” Kihyun called out, stopping where he was. A soft rustling sounded before a nest of smoky gray hair appeared over the edge of the couch. 

“Are you back already-” Changkyun stopped the moment he laid eyes on Kihyun. He clearly hadn’t been expecting the other hunter, but all Kihyun could do was give him a watery smile. While Changkyun wasn’t pulling away, he wasn’t getting any closer either. It made Kihyun ache even more, wishing to reach out and gather the other in his arms. 

“I half expected to find you half dead, given how much you’ve ignored me,” Kihyun quipped before he could stop himself. He wasn’t there to scold Changkyun, but it had come out naturally. “But you look fine.” 

“Go away, Kihyun.” 

The words stung more than he wanted them to. Changkyun was speaking from a place of hurt, Kihyun reminded himself, so he took the words with a huge grain of salt. 

“No,” he replied simply. 

“I don’t want you in here,” Changkyun tried again, frowning hard. He was glaring, Kihyun noticed, but the hunter was far from scared. Even with the red eyes focused on him. “I don’t want to see you.” 

“Well, I want to see you. It’s been a week, Changkyun, what was I supposed to do? Sit upstairs in a house with people I don’t know while you’re down here hurting?” Kihyun fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, unable to keep his hands still. He wanted so badly to touch Changkyun again, to remind himself that he was real and solid and still alive. 

“I  _ said  _ go away, Kihyun,” Changkyun growled. It was a different sound, one that Kihyun wasn’t entirely used to. Still, he wasn’t scared. Taking a deep breath, Kihyun strode forward to the couch, not stopping even when Changkyun practically flung himself off of it to get away. Kihyun walked faster, finally cornering Changkyun just enough. 

“I’m not going away and I’m not leaving you,” Kihyun dared to get closer, staring right into Changkyun’s eyes. “You can’t make me. I refuse to let you do this.” 

“Do what, exactly?” Changkyun hissed. He was upset. Despite the anger in his tone, the annoyance written in his frown, Kihyun saw the fear in his eyes. Changkyun was terrified of Kihyun in that moment, because Kihyun was seeing him as he was now. A vampire. 

“Changkyun, if you don’t shut your mouth right now,” Kihyun grit his teeth. It was an empty threat, but he needed the other to listen. Changkyun’s shoulders shook, the fear starting to show on more of his face. 

“Get away from me!” Changkyun shouted in his face. “Get the fuck out, Kihyun. Stop throwing your life away for me!” he sneered, his elongated canines on display. Kihyun had had enough at that point, shoving Changkyun back as hard as he could manage, before grabbing the other’s face. 

“Stop acting like  _ your _ life doesn’t matter to me!” Kihyun’s voice cracked as he held Changkyun’s face. His palms pressed into the younger man’s cheeks, keeping his gaze focused on him. “You stop throwing what we have away. Stop thinking that I could just- just leave you like that.” 

Silence spread between them for a moment, Kihyun breathing harder as tears started to spring to his eyes. His vision blurred with them, but he never looked away for anything. Before Changkyun could speak, he continued to get the point across. “I could never leave you. I could never hate you, Kyunnie, never. Human, vampire, anything else.” 

“S-stop-” Changkyun swallowed hard and tried to look away, but Kihyun shook his head.

“No, listen. Just listen to me, please,” he hated how his voice shook, how tight his throat felt. “You won’t hurt me. You haven’t so far,” Kihyun tried to smile again, his heart breaking once more at how scared Changkyun appeared. “You had so many chances to do that before now. You could have lost it and killed me so many times,  _ but you didn’t. _ ” He pressed. “I meant it when I said I’m not scared of you. I love you, Changkyun.” 

“Kihyun…” Changkyun’s voice was barely loud enough to be heard. He stared at the other, lower lip quivering as he tried to keep himself from breaking down. 

“I love you and I won’t leave you. I’m all in for you. So please,  _ please,  _ don’t leave me either.”

Kihyun waited, tears rolling down his cheeks. It had been a week for him. A week of waiting and wondering, of hoping Changkyun would appear, would still be okay. A week of not seeing his love and knowing how far into despair he was likely slipping. Changkyun was always good at being quiet, keeping those things to himself when he thought no one was really watching. The last thing the elder had wanted was for Changkyun to suffer through this in silence. If this was to be their life, he was going to be beside him no matter what. 

“Okay,” Changkyun’s meek reply finally came. Kihyun tipped his head forward until he gently bumped into Changkyun’s. Their foreheads pressed together, Kihyun still cradling Changkyun’s face in his hands, not wanting to be apart any longer. 

“Promise?” Kihyun asked softly, the tip of his nose poking at Changkyun’s cheek as he nuzzled closer. 

“Promise,” Changkyun breathed out. It was a welcome surprise when one of his arms slid around Kihyun’s waist. Maybe not now, or any time in the near future, but Kihyun was certain they would be okay. One way or another, they would learn how to be okay, and that was enough for now. 


	6. turn on the H. ONE song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shownu digs a little more. Unexpected facts turn up in unexpected places gives him more than he can handle alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello there, Nips has finally returned! I had to rewrite this chapter at least three times before I was remotely happy with it. I also took a break (in which I wrote other things) to keep my head cleared. Writing is a big stress relief for me and I want to it to say fun and exciting without it being seen as a burden on my part. So, I apologize for the delay and hope this chapter helps explain a touch of what's going on. Still not 100% happy with it by any means, but it's enough that I'm willing to share it. Let me know what you think and thank you as always for reading!! Stay safe!

Days had passed since the incident with Seongjin. The nights had been brutal, Shownu only seeing that flash of gunfire before the man crumpled to the ground. He had seen his fair share of horror in the field. Had grown up around it and survived it first hand. But something scared the man into action and taking his own life. It was obvious  _ someone  _ was pulling the strings. He just didn’t have any leads beyond that. 

The incident, as everyone now referred to it- Shownu hated that but couldn’t change it- was now spreading to other parts of the organization. He feared that he might be reassigned, that someone else would be put on watch over Wonho. More than anything else, he feared who would take charge in the case for Changkyun and Kihyun. The likelihood of whoever took over the case for Changkyun and Kihyun, hunting them down without hesitation, was too high. 

Shownu still wanted to believe that nothing had happened, that Changkyun wasn’t a vampire and he and Kihyun were safe. If nothing else, he had to believe they were still in the city and alive. Both of them were smart and capable and Shownu clung to that fact more than he did anything else in life. 

He had lost too much to give up hope just yet. And he was running out of time to save the family he had left. 

Shownu didn’t exactly trust the other hunters within the organization to follow through on their word. He knew loyalty came first to many, including himself, to their work. When he had been younger, Shownu had followed the rules of the organization rather strictly. He stayed in the lines and worked hard. Now with the announcement that a highly specialized task force was coming in to handle this new case, he was determined to find his friends before the others. 

Despite how quiet he was, Shownu’s head was buzzing with too many thoughts nearly all the time. Forming plans, thinking of how to work around other hunters, trying to dig through what little evidence he had for more information. He grappled with where- with  _ whom  _ his loyalty still lies. To him, the writing was on the wall. There had to be a tie between the strange disappearance- no, death, of his father, timed with the new patrol routes in a seemingly peaceful area. So much of it now screamed out that it was a trap to Shownu, but he didn’t have the clues yet. Not enough to make a change happen. 

Going from the small boy that had been brought in and adopted into the organization, he viewed it as something that once saved his life. While Shownu still wasn’t one to break the rules that often, his loyalty had shifted from the organization. Where it lay now was with the family he had found, the people most important to him. The people that had saved him, rather than the job. 

Perhaps losing General Son had been the final breaking point. Or maybe it had all really been with losing Wonho. He thought back bitterly on how he had been trapped then as well, given such an ultimatum that he still had nightmares about it. Each little piece of his life he lost, more of him chipped away. 

_ “He’s off your team and removed, under strict supervision, or else I terminate him.” _

Both resulted in Wonho being taken from him. From their family. One just also involved death, which Shownu refused to let happen. So he had let Wonho go, let him be thrown out from the life he had known. It was better than losing him permanently, even if he could only watch from afar. Guilt ate him up on a regular basis even if he kept a straight face. 

He hadn’t told Wonho what the ultimatum was. Didn’t give him a say in his own fate. Shownu couldn’t bear the thought of Wonho being executed. He knew the Commander would do it, having done plenty of times before to other hunters that “messed up”. It was easier for others to see him as emotionless and stoic all the time. It was easier for Wonho to be angry with him and hurt, but alive to keep going. It was easier, Shownu told himself all the time, to be without the person he had sworn his life to. It had to be easier. Shownu couldn’t let the weight of it all drag him down, not yet. The emotionless mask came up and stayed firmly on. Stoic, stern, attentive. 

That was exactly how he appeared to the eye. 

When Shownu had also been given the task of watching Wonho, he guessed the Commander thought he was dishing out a punishment. In a sense, it was all to torment Shownu more, for having tried to protect someone viewed as a traitor within the organization. He wasn’t sure Wonho would ever forgive him for it. As long as Wonho was alive, Shownu would learn how to deal. 

That was the expression he kept on firmly as he made his way to the hall of meeting rooms, lined with doors for private talks and negotiations as necessary. After the incident, he knew it was only a matter of time before others came in to question the team. To question just what the hell was happening with the X and their two missing hunters with the trail of bodies in their wake. 

Shownu knocked twice with a knuckle, until a voice beckoned him inside. A long table stretched out in the room with seven men and Dr. Im, seated already, all heads turning when Shownu stepped in. He blinked, stared around at the room, but kept his face stoic. This was too familiar to the night with Seongjin. Only instead of a room aiming for comfort, this was all business. 

“Thanks for joining us,” the first man spoke up. Shownu focused on him, eyes going wide. None other than Kim Namjoon sat at the head of the table, Dr. Im to his right. He started going around the rest of the members present and saw all of Namjoon’s team. Shownu had only met some of them before, but he could guess the rest. 

“Thank you for having me,” Shownu bowed his head in respect, before taking the one open seat left. He swallowed hard as he looked around again. Another one, seated to Namjoon’s left, smiled sweetly at Shownu. That one, Shownu thought, had to be Jimin. He had only ever heard of this team in passing and they rarely came out to deal with minor problems. 

He had been right in guessing this was going well beyond a patrol gone wrong. 

“Before we get started on our side, do you have any questions for us?” Namjoon asked. Too many pairs of eyes turned to look at him. 

“Why did you call us in individually?” Was the first thing that came to mind. 

“We spoke in the order we thought necessary. Commander Kim is the one handling the patrols and orders issued to everyone within this organization. Your friend, Gunhee? He was just also a witness, so he came next.” someone else responded. Shownu looked down the table to a boy with soft lashes and a boxy grin. “We had to be filled in from their sides as well. Clear some legal work within the organization and now we are free to talk to you.” 

“Okay,” Shownu nodded. He had no idea what else to do with that answer. 

“Taehyung, you’re making it sound way more cryptic than it needs to be,” Namjoon scolded lightly. “It is a serious matter. And we do have to be careful about who we talk to. But no more trying to spook anyone.” 

The other, Taehyung he learned, sighed and sat back in his chair. 

“Now, Shownu,” Namjoon turned his attention back to the hunter. “We’ve been filled in on as much as we can be,” he shifted papers out in front of him, Shownu even recognizing some as his own reports. “But we know there’s more to this. And this is where you come in.” 

“Over...Seongjin? Or the fact the two missing are on my team?” Shownu didn’t understand. 

“Those are factors, yes, but also how your Commander ties into all of this.” 

Well, that was an interesting turn. Shownu had his full attention on Namjoon now. 

“You don’t fall under his command?” Shownu asked, just to be clear. Namjoon shook his head. 

“The group I lead, everyone you see here, is it for us. We’re specialized beyond hunting. Sort of like,” He scrunched up his nose and tapped his chin in thought. “Sort of like internal relations. Or an HR department.” 

“That’s really dumbing it down,” a smaller man spoke up, blonde hair hanging in his eyes and his arms folded over his chest. Shownu remembered the quiet man was named Yoongi. Kihyun knew him. The two had been close friends. “We do more than deal with someone making a bad call or filing a messed up report.” 

“Yes, thank you Yoongi,” Namjoon sighed. He seemed tired, or perhaps just frustrated, that his group liked to speak out of turn. “We look into branches that are facing an extraordinary amount of issues within. Anything from multiple hunter deaths, budget expenditures and where all the funding is going. Dr Im,” Namjoon motioned to the oldest man in the room. “Has also been helping keep a lookout around here. We’ve been monitoring your branch in particular for a while now.” 

Shownu stared straight at Namjoon, blinking in confusion. They had been monitored? How long? Why? Shownu was not oblivious to upper layers within the organization and how they worked. He knew there were things he would not be allowed access to. Or that some people just had authority over him and he accepted that for the longest time. Even with General Son first disappearing, he tried to figure it out but was shut out of more information. 

“May I ask what for?” Shownu kept a cool head. This was all twisting into something he never could have guessed. 

“Your Commander Kim Shi Dae,” Namjoon responded. “Too many coincidences to be swept under the rug any longer. Reports don’t match other files we’ve tracked, and there is a serious amount of missing information.” 

“I-” Shownu started, feeling like his head was spinning. “This all has to do with my missing team, doesn’t it? You said it was part of it, but this is what’s setting everything off.” 

“Good guess,” Namjoon nodded. “You’re the one that caught the matching names of the man brought in recently, right?” 

“Yes,” Shownu swallowed hard at being reminded of that night. “I believe that someone wanted him to be there and feed us information. His report of Changkyun- er, Mr. Im being the one that attacked. Nothing is adding up with why they were sent to patrol there in the first place, and I was never given a solid answer no matter how much I pressed.”

“Before they left for their patrol, Changkyun came to speak with me about how odd it seemed,” the oldest man spoke up. Shownu glanced at Changkyun’s father, rubbing at his eyes from under his glasses. He bore the same strong nose that Changkyun had, their overall resemblance to each other striking. “We spoke for a while. He asked for information on General Son, I think in hopes of offering you something, Shownu.” 

The corner of Shownu’s mouth ticked up just a bit. Of course Changkyun was digging for information he could give his friend. The quiet, highly observant, sneaky-little-shit Changkyun was always doing that. His father was the little connection he had to more information and Changkyun used it. Maybe, Shownu thought briefly, Changkyun had known about a trap. Maybe that’s why no one could find them now. 

“Commander Kim gave me orders not to speak of General Son going missing. But I told them about it anyway. They’re my family, they deserve to know,” Shownu admitted softly. There was no judgement from the eyes on him. 

“He came to me with questions about any finding with the general,” Dr. Im explained. “I confirmed for him the blood was indeed belonging to the general. And...that foul play was strongly suspected in his death. No body was recovered, but it seems highly unlikely that the general is still out there, given the state of the crime scene.” 

Shownu nodded in understanding. He didn’t need to focus on that or the way it tore at his heart. There was no time to mourn his fallen father. That could come later when his family was safe.

“At the time of your team starting their new patrol, there was an attempted break in at Dr. Im’s lab. Minor damage to the property, but a number of files were destroyed or stolen,” Namjoon explained. “Hobi, do you still have the list from the lab?” He spoke to a man closer to him, who bobbed his head and pulled a file seemingly out of nowhere. 

“A number of samples counting vampiric blood and matching tests for the different samples. Some included tests on longevity of the blood outside of a vampire,” Hobi hummed for a moment. “I suppose it reacts differently than human blood being stored for donation,” He went on to list other files and test results. 

“That’s not the first time results have gone missing,” Shownu chimed in. 

“Oh, we know,” Hobi laughed. “But this time, they haven’t just been misplaced or put somewhere for someone else to find. They were outright destroyed. Years of study on longevity and immortality with vampiric blood, all the information about their DNA and how it changes, tons of stuff. I admit I don’t understand what all of it means, either, there were some rather advanced tests happening there.” 

“We believe,” Namjoon spoke up then. “That General Son had found this testing was going on. And that much of it was deeply unethical. Even for what we do, it was pushing beyond any boundaries we have.” 

Shownu felt a cold sweat break out on his temples. “Unethical?” he knew the answer, it could only be a handful of things. But he didn’t want to know it. 

“Yes,” Namjoon gave him a solemn look. “Human experimentation. Vampire experimentation. Mixes of what could be done to either in terms of turning or reversing the effects of vampirism. Son was on to it, had finally cracked enough leads to know he needed to shut everything down.” 

“Did you know about this?” Shownu snapped his head to the side to glare at Dr. Im. The scientist shrunk back, slowly nodding his head. 

“I proposed the original idea years ago...the idea of a cure, so to speak. But when the testing we tried didn’t work, I knew it was a moot point. There was no going beyond the hypothetical question that started it,” He explained with a shaking voice. “When I insisted we backed out of the research and instead find a better way to sustain vampires without human blood, I-” he closed his eyes. “The Commander threatened Changkyun. He cleared everything and said that our experimentation should continue. And if I tried to stop it on my own, my son would be the next guinea pig.” 

How long had this man been stuck with such information? Shownu stared at the scientist, his heart racing and knowing it had to be true. No wonder the labs were kept separately from the main base. No wonder Dr. Im had been trying to reach out to Namjoon and his team, in hopes of someone being able to save them all from this mess. 

“Wait-” Shownu blinked as it all came crashing back into him. “Their new patrol. It was always a setup, wasn’t it? This was the threat against Changkyun, for anyone getting too close-” 

“That’s the theory, yes,” Namjoon nodded. “Your Commander was a little messy in his dealings. We don’t have solid proof yet, but this goes as far as trafficking rings, humans and vampires alike, all to line his pockets and do whatever he deems necessary in the labs.” 

His blood ran cold. His stomach churned. All the good things he thought they had stood for, or at least the helpful things, were built on webs of lies. Lies and cruelty and greed. 

“We have to find Kihyun and Changkyun before the others do,” Shownu spoke urgently, gripping the edge of the table hard enough to turn his knuckles white. 

“Easy,” Namjoon put a hand up. “We can’t go rushing out of here with nothing solid. We need to keep the Commander from suspecting too much. Seems like a naturally suspicious and overly cautious man, so that’ll be hard to pull off completely. But we do have something in mind.” 

“What? If it means finding them, I’ll do it, I’ll do whatever you need -” Shownu was silenced with another raise of his hand. From across the table, Namjoon smirked. 

“We have a plan in place for you.” 

\--

Shownu learned after the plan was explained that not everyone on Namjoon’s team was human. Taehyung, for example, was a vampire that had been with them for ages. Seokjin, the eldest, was one and looked after the youngest on their team, Jungkook. They claimed that having a mix of human and vampire made dealing with situations like this much better. Easier, in a sense. 

Shownu didn’t have it in him to complain. Given how much had been shoved at him such a short amount of time, he trusted vampires far more than he trusted the humans he had been working for most of his life. He was doing his best to keep an even head on his shoulders, compartmentalizing all the thoughts threatening to drown him. 

This plan of theirs was something else that made him nervous. It relied heavily on Shownu being able to go a little under cover, which was never a strong suit for him. He could be stoic, could be stern, but acting? Not exactly something he ever focused on. 

He was about to set foot inside the famous- perhaps a little more infamous  _ Club BamBam _ . It was recognized by the X as an organization for vampires and humans alike. Shady dealings could happen there, simply brushed under the table and distracted by the guise of a high class drink and vibrant decorations. Still a cleaner place than most, and the club had strict policies about what happened inside their doors to keep it running. 

Shownu had only ever gone to the club once with Wonho and the place had been packed to the brim. He went over the conversation in his head over and over again, trying not to think of his night there with Wonho and remember that this was now suddenly a mission. 

_ “I’m supposed to...what, exactly?” Shownu looked as lost as he felt.  _

_ “There’s a few vampires that work for the club that have helped us out a lot before. They’re hard to find outside of their place of work, so we go there to see them,” Namjoon explained with ease.  _

_ “Why do I have to go in?” Shownu questioned. “None of them know me.”  _

_ “We need your help to show X isn’t a problem. They’ll help more if it’s personal. And right now, for you, it’s very personal.”  _

_ Shownu frowned at words he was given. It seemed strange and out of place. Was he just supposed to spill to these vampires and hope they took pity on him? Shaking his head, Shownu worked hard to keep the negative thoughts of vampires out of his mind. They were his only chance at help right now, and he had to use it.  _

_ “Do you have any other names to go by?” Namjoon asked. “Usually once I set foot in there, I’m RM.”  _

_ “Uh,” Shownu stared for a moment. “Hyunwoo, I guess. Haven’t used it since I was a kid.” _

_ “That’ll work. Sometimes it’s good to have another name to be safe.”  _

_ “This club,” Shownu sat back in his car seat, still parked outside of the club with the others. “It’s vampires and humans alike. Same for who runs the place. I’ve always heard of it, and it’s sort of off limits to X.  _

_ “That’s right,” Jimin piped up. “Joonie is making it sound way more serious than this is. He’s good friends with one of the guys that run the place- Jackson Wang. They hit it off so well at first that Joonie didn’t even pick up Jackson was a vampire.”  _

_ Shownu knew that name and nodded. Then he paused again and looked at Namjoon. “Wait, what- how do you miss that? Aren’t you one of the top agents? Like a strategic genius or something?”  _

_ “That was one time, Jimin, now can we please stay focused.”  _

_ \-- _

Now he was dressed in plain clothes- fashionably ripped and old jeans and a gray turtleneck, hair brushed to the side to show off his forehead. Jimin and Jin both had suggested what he would wear, adding a few rings and a watch, so he would look the part of a club goer. He didn’t want to saunter in there like a hunter mind, even if Shownu knew that wasn’t possible. He was so far out of his element there was no way he’d have the poise of a hunter going in. 

They needed to find a DJ that was known for helping out new vampires especially. One that was older, much older, and worked at the club. His hours were strange, and no one knew when he would be there next. But given how popular he was, it seemed fairly regularly. 

Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jungkook were the ones to go in with Shownu. Some people instantly recognized the men as they walked through, checking in with the door man. Shownu was absolutely certain he had never set foot in such a high end place, as it seemed even fancier now than when he had checked it out with Wonho. Namjoon disappeared into the crowd, seemingly into the RM persona, Taehyung following. Shownu had been prompted before that Taehyung was called “V” inside the club. When he asked Jungkook if his name changed, the young vampire only smiled and shook his head. 

“Follow me,” Jungkook waved at Shownu. He had such a boyish charm to him that Shownu found it hard to believe the kid was a vampire. And several decades older than him already. Still, he followed and glanced around, trying not to gawk too much. 

“Gyeomie!” Jungkook plopped himself down in an empty seat at the bar, catching the attention of the tall man behind it. He was long and elegant, a sort of prettiness to him that Shownu didn’t see often. 

“Good to see you again, Kookie,” the bartender smiled brightly, before his eyes caught Shownu. “And welcome to your friend here. First time?” 

“Yeah,” Shownu nodded with a sheepish smile. “I don’t get out very often.” 

“Hyunwoo,” Jungkook started, smirking as he used his real name. “This is Yugyeom. He’s worked here for a while and makes the best drinks. Do you want anything? My treat!” 

“Um,” Shownu blinked a few times. Drinking on the job seemed like a bad idea, but if he denied it, would he stick out like a sore thumb? “Yeah, I’d love to try one,” He put on his best smile. The bartender nodded, listened to whatever fancy drink Jungkook said- Shownu stopped paying attention for the time being. So many people were coming and going, this way and that. Shownu spotted RM talking to who he guessed to be Jackson. 

Part of him was wondering what kind of information this was going to get them. It all seemed...strange. 

But then the drinks were in front of him and Jungkook was leaning over the bar a bit more. Shownu perked up, listening in closely. 

“I have a question for you,” he started. Yugyeom nodded, humming as he worked. It was a way to stay normal and not give anything away. “Is DJ H.One on tonight? I need his help with a newborn.” 

“Ah,” Yugyeom clicked his tongue. “Funny you should ask for him. He’s been called out for a while now over a family emergency,” he explained. “You can go ask J.B. if he knows more if you want. His next set isn’t up for another ten minutes or so.” 

Shownu was trying not to curse. Trying not to swear and feel anger boil up because again,  _ again _ , a lead was cut short. This new man they were looking for was out for a family emergency. Taking a deep breath, Shownu slammed back the entirety of his drink before he could think about it. Both Yugyeom and Jungkook stared at him like he was insane for doing so. 

He could faintly hear Yugyeom point out where the other DJ would be standing, Shownu’s eyes landing on him almost instantly. The deal when they had entered was that Namjoon’s team would ask most of the questions. They were the ones with the real ties and deals in the club, trusted and well known. Shownu was blowing all of that the instant he walked towards J.B.

Jungkook hurried after him, but arrived moments too late. 

“I’m sorry to bother,” Shownu started, eyes focused on the man across from him. J.B. was slender and almost catlike in his features. The stud in his nose sparkled in the dim lighting. He was human, Shownu could tell that much. “But I really need your help, if you’re able.” 

“I’m capable of a lot,” J.B. responded, cool and collected. He was always observant of everything in the club, and this was no new surprise to him. “Who are you looking for?” 

Startled that he was figured out so easily, Shownu shook it off and explained. 

“I...I was told he goes by DJ H.One. And that he’s off tonight, but-”

“We really need to ask him something. He’s not in trouble himself, but you know how he works,” Jungkook interjected. Shownu nodded along because it sounded right. J.B. considered them both before reaching out to ruffle Jungkook’s hair. 

“He doesn’t call off for regular things, that’s for sure,” J.B. hummed. He pulled a phone from his pocket, swiping through a few things as he went. “I don’t have direct contact with his place; he wants to stay as private as possible. But he said if anyone ever asks for him, filter it through this guy.” 

J.B. held out the phone and the number flashing across the front. Shownu thought he recognized it, but didn’t focus too much before copying it down. Jungkook asked a few more questions about anything strange happening in the club. To which, J.B. explained more people than usual had to be escorted out. Attempts at dirty dealings and some vamps looking for a free meal, which went against house policies. Other than that, it had been quiet. Almost to worrying amount. 

With the new information, Shownu bowed and thanked the man before turning to leave. Jungkook let him go, wrapping up with what he needed to do first. It was clear Shownu was on his mission only, and Jungkook knew the feeling too well to try and stop him. 

\--

Outside, Shownu scrambled into the back of the van with Yoongi and Hoseok, both keeping their eyes on monitors and ears tuned in to the comm. They weren’t too surprised to see Shownu back so soon, having noticed him leaving like he had. 

“Give me the number you got,” Yoongi held out his hand without even looking at Shownu. Dumbfounded just for a moment, Shownu clicked on his phone and saw the number still on his screen. Yoongi took it, hunched over a laptop in front of him, and punched the number in. The van they were settled in didn’t look particularly high tech or like something out of science fiction. But Shownu could see this group had access to plenty. Only a minute later did a little bell alert to the results of the number. 

“Did a quick check to see who the number is registered to,” Yoongi explained, still not looking up at any moment. “It’s here in the city. Registered name to Lee, Hoseok.” 

All the color drained from Shownu’s face. 

“You know the guy?” Hobi asked, tilting his head. “I know it’s not an uncommon name but, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

“Does he have any other names? Or anything else about him?” Shownu asked. Yoongi shrugged before his fingers started to fly over the keyboard again. He was searching for something else, frowning when nothing was coming up quickly enough. 

“Not much out there on him.” 

“There wouldn’t be,” Shownu shook his head. “If he’s the one he-” he paused and swallowed hard. Had Wonho really gotten caught up in all of this too? “He used to be a hunter. A lot of our public records were either forged or destroyed if we left the organization.” 

“He left?” Hobi asked that time. Shownu grimaced. 

“He was removed. Against his will.” 

That was enough for the others to stay quiet. They could read Shownu’s expression well enough to see the deep rooted pain in his eyes. He had worried about Wonho in all of this before but now it seemed the man was actively part of something. Something he let slide and keep covered up because Shownu refused to report all information back to the Commander. It was a tangled web and he could feel himself getting stuck. 

“Got a picture,” Yoongi finally spoke up. “This him?” He turned the laptop around for Shownu to see the screen. 

Wonho wasn’t smiling in the picture. It was an old one, from the personnel files within the organization. Shownu could remember teasing him for it and how stern he looked. And how his ears sticking out took away any scary factor when he tried to make a serious face. Wonho had slapped his hands over his ears and told Shownu he was a jerk. Shownu had just laughed. 

“That’s him,” Shownu breathed out. “He- ah,” Shownu blinked the memories away. “He’s my old partner. I’d like to talk to him alone, if possible.” 

“We can probably arrange something,” Hobi offered. Yoongi didn’t seem to agree, but only shrugged a shoulder before turning the screen away. 

Shownu finally had another lead and this one hurt more than any of the others. 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess it's Time for Shownu to Suffer Some More >> anyone else excited to see what'll happen when he gets to see Wonho face to face? I've been dying to get to this part for their reunion. Let me know what you think and always feel free to yell in the comments! Or my twitter!


	7. keep my heart at your place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration struck and I made it sad. Now that I have basically all the pieces in place, the plot is going to pick up a lot from here (hopefully anyway)! Did I mean to focus on Showho as much as I did? No. Did I do it anyway? YEP. I really hope I was able to convey the emotions well enough, and that makes sense. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

The car ride leaving the club was quiet. A few of Namjoon’s team exchanged information at first, but then set into silence. Shownu stared out the window of the van, watching other cars pass them. Wonho’s image was still burning into his mind, all thoughts wrapped around how he was supposed to approach the other man. In the midst of that, something occurred to him. 

“How exactly are we doing this without the Commander stopping us?” Shownu asked, his eyes meeting Namjoon’s in the rearview mirror. Namjoon had to have been watching him for a while, Shownu thought. 

“Because I have authority over him, in a sense,” Namjoon shrugged. “Take the next left, Jin,” he instructed quietly before turning his attention back to Shownu. “What he does know is an internal investigation is happening because you have two missing hunters. Pretty run of the mill stuff. He’s under the guise that we’ll find them and either bring them in, or kill them.” 

“What-” Shownu nearly jumped out of his seat. 

“Relax, Shownu. That’s just what he _thinks_ is happening. We have to keep it that way, too. All of this is really boiling down to finding everything we can on the Commander himself. If we play into the plans he has, it’ll be easier. And he knows to behave because he’s under observation. As far as I’m concerned, we will find your missing hunters, and they will not be killed. Not under my orders. Got it?” 

“Uh, yeah,” Shownu nodded dumbly. “Yeah that works.” 

He really hadn’t expected this to go his way at all. Then again, Namjoon had vampires on his team. Vampires that worked within their organization. To say there were things he was learning for the first time was an understatement. Shownu felt dazed, if not numbed, by the amount of information he had gathered in one night. Most of it was just on what really went on behind the scenes of his job. Everything he knew, had been taught for years, was turning upside down on its head. 

“Just stick with us for this. I’m going to make sure your boys are found and safe,” Namjoon locked eyes with Shownu again. He was thinking something over, only glancing away when he told Jin to turn again. “If we need to, I’ve got some other groups that can help out. Our biggest target is Commander Kim, not your family.” 

Shownu had no idea how such a promise could be made or kept, but he accepted it without hesitation. 

The rest of the car ride wasn’t that bad. Shownu was given a few more instructions on keeping his head down, an idea of what their plan would be when they could finally get the Commander. He wasn’t allowed to speak of this to anyone, which was really nothing new. Shownu had been working under secret instructions forever now. 

Eventually, he returned to his own room, sealed away from everyone else once again. He checked his phone only when he realized he hadn’t looked at it for hours now. All his screen showed was a text from Gunhee asking where he was. Shownu didn’t answer it. 

\--

“Hyung, how long have you been here?” Changkyun asked. It was startling to hear him initiate conversation for the first time in what felt like forever. Even Wonho jumped at hearing the sudden deep voice from Kihyun’s side of the table. The new vampire had finally emerged from the basement, with much trepidation and coaxing from Kihyun. It was an attempt at making a routine to help Changkyun adjust. Be around the others and find some kind of normalcy again. 

“As long as you have,” Wonho smiled at the younger. He was happy to hear his voice for once. Even if he had been among all of them for a few days now, Changkyun barely spoke to anyone. He wasn’t interested in seeing the others much, though he was hardly rude to anyone. 

Kihyun was the biggest factor in getting him to be around anyone. At times, Wonho could see the anxiety welling up in Changkyun’s expression. The sense of fear practically dripped off of him, which every other vampire picked up on easily enough. Jooheon commented once on it, and it took Hyungwon putting Changkyun in a trance to keep him from hiding in the basement. 

“He’s here a lot of the time,” Minhyuk commented from his spot, head leaning on Hyungwon’s shoulder. “He’s like a permanent fixture,” he grinned widely enough to show his fangs. 

“Why?” came Changkyun’s next question. Wonho furrowed his brow, not sure why he was being asked. 

“Why am I here a lot?” Wonho asked. Changkyun nodded. “I guess I get bored a lot. Not much to do by myself,” he forced a smile but he knew the others could see right through it. 

“We don’t mind his company,” Hyungwon picked up a teacup with elegant fingers and sipped at it. Surprisingly, the old vampire still took quite the comfort in drinking tea once a day. “You knew him before us, so I’m sure you’re aware of how easy it is for him to get lonely.” 

“Still sitting right here,” Wonho grumbled. Kihyun just snorted. 

“They’re not wrong, are they?” Kihyun cut in, raising a brow at his hyung. Wonho felt his ears getting hot. 

“You two are seriously going to get on me for that right now?” there was a hint of humor in his tone.

“We can both see that you haven’t changed,” Kihyun commented, to which Changkyun nodded in agreement. “I don’t think you’ve actually taken care of yourself since we got here.” 

“You were bad at taking care of yourself before and you still are now,” Changkyun’s voice was low, a bit hard to hear, but Wonho was still happy to have anything from the younger. Changkyun shifted so he was closer to Kihyun, always having some kind of physical contact with the other hunter. Wonho watched the pair for a moment, thinking of all that had happened since that night Changkyun appeared at his apartment. 

“You know, that reminds me,” Wonho’s brow furrowed. “How did you know where my apartment was?” He focused on Changkyun, who seemed startled at being targeted for a question. 

“Shownu-hyung,” Changkyun answered after a moment. “He told us where you lived.” 

Wonho’s expression went blank for a moment, the man growing still as he thought it over. He had always known that _someone_ within the organization would know where he lived. He knew deep down, it could have been Shownu looking out for him. But he never tried to find out for sure, never tried to hide more than he did. He was out of the organization, but never fully free of them. 

“Figures that big oaf was the one,” he mumbled more to himself than anyone else. 

“Wonho?” Kihyun asked in a voice softer than usual. If anyone in the room knew the hurt Wonho felt, it was Kihyun and Changkyun. They had been front and center when everything happened. 

Another reminder of being cast out. Wonho took a deep breath and shook the thoughts away. There was no point in dwelling on the bitter feelings he had left lingering in his chest. Wonho opted to change the topic with a forced smile, and no one said otherwise. 

\--

Kihyun and Changkyun had taken up residence in the basement together, both mending from their physical wounds and needing time together to heal. Hyungwon was always somewhere close should he need to step in, but with the supply of fresh blood, Changkyun was generally under control. Wonho couldn’t blame them for wanting privacy, though each time they stepped out and made conversation, his heart felt a little lighter. 

Changkyun was trying. He was taking the quickest to Jooheon, perhaps because of mutual interests and the ever dimpled-smile on Jooheon’s face. Hyungwon was the next one, Changkyun clicking with him likely from how he had helped in the first few days. Minhyuk, on the other hand, was an enigma to all of them. He chattered and joked with them, had a penchant for being loud with Jooheon and bickering with Kihyun. Other than that, only Hyungwon seemed to know his deeper thoughts, and Jooheon shared a special connection with both of them. Still, if nothing else, Wonho was surprised to see Kihyun opening up the most. 

He could see Kihyun trying too, instead of shutting off to anyone but Changkyun. While Wonho didn’t doubt that this was all because Changkyun was a vampire now, it was at least a step in the right direction. 

The early hours of morning were approaching, night slowly starting to brighten into the day. The others had retired to various spots within the home, save for Jooheon and Wonho. While Jooheon was doing fine, Wonho definitely wasn’t used to a fully nocturnal routine just yet. 

“Hyung, could you hang back for a second?” Jooheon asked, mismatched eyes following Wonho. 

“You know at some point you’re going to be older than me, right?” Wonho smiled softly. 

“And I’m still going to call you hyung even then,” Jooheon said matter-of-factly. 

“Well, what’s up then, Honeybee?” Wonho moved to stay on the couch beside Jooheon, taking a moment to ruffle his hair. He was always affectionate with everyone and Jooheon was no different. But the serious look that spread over the vampire’s face made him draw back in concern. 

“I didn’t want to say anything and scare the others,” Jooheon started. “You know how you got that burner phone, just to help Hyungwon?” 

Wonho nodded. “Just to help filter calls for work. I know he doesn’t always like to be bothered, and I...I admit I feel safer having a hand in things. I want to keep all of you safe.” Wonho knew too well how information could get into the wrong hands. And if someone from his old organization decided they wanted to clear out more vampires, all they needed was a phone number to track them down. At least if they went through him, he could give them an added layer of protection. 

“Well,” Jooheon fidgeted. He was nervous about something. “A call came through. I answered because you were busy but...it was weird. They weren’t looking for Hyungwon.” 

Wonho’s chest tightened. Someone had the number he used to Hyungwon- or DJ H.ONE, but hadn’t asked for him. He knew it was always a risk that someone from the organization could figure out what he was doing. That they could still find him helping vampires as often as possible and throwing off other hunters from doing their jobs. 

“What did they want?” Wonho tried to keep his voice as even as possible, despite how scared he was. If they were looking for him, they might know about Kihyun and Changkyun. And those two would definitely be on the kill list. 

“It was some guy’s voice. He was asking for a Hoseok.” 

“Shit,” Wonho shoved himself up and darted for his jacket and keys, left near the door. “Honey, I need you to keep an eye on everything here. Let Hyungwon and Minhyuk know that I’m going out, okay? I can’t let anyone find me here without compromising all of you,” he pressed, watching the young vampire’s face twist up in worry. As intimidating as Jooheon could look, he was a big softie in the end. “Can you do that for me?” 

“Of course,” Jooheon nodded once. “We know the drill for staying low. Keep your friends from doing anything stupid too, right?” 

“Don’t let them do anything I _would_ do, yeah,” Wonho grinned in an attempt to ease the tension. “Keep the burner phone on you and ready. I’ll message when I can with an update. Worst case scenario, be ready to run.” 

He hated having to say those words at all. 

“Be safe,” Jooheon called as Wonho quietly slipped out the door and into the grey morning light. 

\--

Wonho hadn’t been the one to answer the call when Shownu tried. His heart had been pounding at just the idea of hearing Wonho’s voice once more, then shocked to hear someone unfamiliar. The voice was low, almost like it was forcing itself to sound more intimidating. So Shownu asked for Wonho by his birth name. 

That didn’t get him anywhere. 

Shownu instead went to the apartment he knew Wonho lived in. He hadn’t considered checking in with him when Kihyun and Changkyun first went missing, thinking that they wouldn’t be there. Wonho would never turn away anyone that needed help, but he had guessed Kihyun would have wanted to stay from anyone they knew. No trail that way. 

But when the information brought him Wonho’s phone number (not the one that the Commander made him keep on record, of course), he knew something else was up. Whoever the unknown DJ was, Wonho covered him. Typical, but still strange. Namjoon had been encouraging that this vampire would know how to find any other vampires in the area. Same went for most of the vampires that worked within Club BamBam, but H.ONE had a specialty with newborns, supposedly. 

It was confusing but all he had to go with. When all of his other leads had ended in a deadend- literally and figuratively, he was willing to grab onto anything he could find. Ever since Wonho’s removal from his team, and Shownu being forced to monitor him, he knew where the little apartment was. No one else did, or rather, no one else was supposed to. 

Like anything before, Shownu had told Kihyun and Changkyun about it. They wanted to make sure their old teammate was doing well. As much as they tried not to talk about it, knowing how much of a sore spot it was for Shownu, Wonho mattered to them just as much.

Shownu had informed Namjoon of his plan, of where he would be. He couldn’t hide as much about Wonho as he did from the Commander, as Namjoon was the one running this investigation and potential rescue mission now. At least this way, the Commander would be none the wiser to Shownu being at Wonho’s apartment. 

He stood outside the haphazardly fixed door, frowning in the dim light of the hallway. It was easy to get in and past anyone else there. The complex was small, Shownu looked plain enough that he could slip in with anyone that opened the door, and he knew how to be as least intimidating as possible. Dressed in a plain jacket and jeans, he had pulled a ball cap down over his eyes to keep his face mostly hidden. No one gave him a second glance, even as he stood outside of Wonho’s apartment. 

One large palm pressed against the broken door, adding just a touch of pressure to see if it would budge. It creaked and groaned, the hinges almost coming loose. Shownu frowned and tried the handle and was surprised to see that door was, in fact, still locked. Somehow. No lights shone from under the door and there was no sound on the inside. Daring to see if it would work, Shownu knocked. He rang the buzzer. No one answered no matter how long he waited. 

Glancing back and forth a few times, Shownu spotted the only security camera further down the hall. He would be on it, should anyone go looking, but he doubted the detail would be good enough to give anything away. Part of him, the one still used to Wonho and always being with him, nagged that Wonho really needed to up his security in this place. It wasn’t very safe at all. 

The other part, however, just turned a massive shoulder into the door and busted it open. The lock held little chance against his brute force, especially given the previous damage. 

Dark eyes scanned the area, noting some cups and bowls left out, a few clothes scattered like he had gathered them for laundry but never got to do them. It was still early morning, Shownu slipping away from the compound before others were up for daily rotations. Namjoon knew he was going to speak to Wonho, even if he didn’t know _who_ Wonho was just yet. A clock in the apartment ticked, the only sound he could make out. Each step into the place was soft, his boots barely making a sound. 

It was chilly. Still. The windows allowed the early glimpses of morning light, the sky grey and dull with the lingering shadow of night. It was that time of morning that nothing seemed to really exist. No one was awake yet, and those who were hadn’t gone to bed. Some distant part of him could remember laying beside Wonho in moments like this, the two pressed together and not a soul to bother them. The scent of his shampoo or the feel of soft, half asleep kisses. 

Shownu’s heart ached in his chest to think he was in Wonho’s apartment now, breaking in actually, all to question the man he hadn’t protected enough. His adoptive father had always told him he was too sentimental, and while it was a good trait to have, Shownu needed to be more careful when he got lost in the nostalgia. 

Which just so happened to be the very moment he felt something connect with his back, right between his shoulder blades, knocking him off balance as a hand closed around the back of his neck. A second hand grabbed his wrist and torqued his arm behind his back. Shownu went down with a grunt, the attacker having the ability to maneuver him with the way his arm was pinned. Face now pressed to the floor, one hand on the back of his neck, the other pinning his arm, and the feeling of someone straddling his back made him freeze. 

Silence spread between them, the brief struggle over, and Shownu making no effort to move or break free. The only sound was that of their breathing and the clock ticking. Seconds passed. 

With his face pressed into the floor, Shownu couldn’t crane his neck around to see if it was in fact Wonho that had knocked him down. Until the other decided to speak first. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Wonho hissed, not letting up on the pressure. Shownu was quiet, thinking out his answer. “That was you that called asking for me, wasn’t it?” 

“Yes,” Shownu answered that time. The grip on his neck slowly let up as Wonho backed away, moving his weight off of the other. “May I get up?” 

“I’m not stopping you, am I?” 

Shownu winced at the tone but pushed himself off the floor. Wonho was standing now, staring down at Shownu with his arms folded over his chest. He looked tired, like he hadn’t slept yet. But he was dressed, so he had been somewhere else and not in the apartment. Shownu almost cursed his timing, but this was a blessing. 

“Quit staring and tell me why you’re here,” Wonho snapped. Shownu hadn’t realized how much he had stared until then. Clearing his throat, he rose to his feet and brushed himself off. For a moment, he almost said he was looking for a vampire specifically. But that would set off all the alarms in Wonho’s mind because Shownu was _still_ a hunter. 

“I’m looking for Changkyun and Kihyun,” Shownu met Wonho’s gaze. “My only real lead was a number for you, and-” 

“I’m not telling you shit,” Wonho’s voice was flat. Shownu faltered. He hadn’t expected to be welcomed or even for Wonho to be happy to see him. But the open hostility stung more than he thought possible. 

“You know where they are, then,” Shownu guessed. Wonho was the one to frown harder, realizing he had been caught. “They’re alive?” 

“Get out. I’m not giving you anything,” Wonho was watching what he said. Part of Shownu hated how much he could still read every action, every expression that Wonho made. Some things never changed. 

“Seokkie-” Shownu had to try harder, the old name slipping out so naturally. He had to prove he wasn’t out to hurt anyone. Not ever again. 

“Hyunwoo,” Wonho glared that time. “Do _not_ use that name on me. You don’t have the right to do that anymore. You don’t have the right to be near me right now, let alone breaking into my apartment,” his voice was firm. He was mad, hurt even. Shownu knew he deserved every biting remark Wonho could throw at him. 

“I just want to find them and make sure they’re okay,” Shownu’s voice grew softer. In the end, that was what he wanted. Of course he wanted his family back, all as one, but he could settle for knowing they were alive and safe. “X is after them.” 

“And you’re not?” Wonho raised a brow. “You’re a loyal dog to the organization. Coming in here all sad won’t get you anywhere.” 

“I’m not-” Shownu felt like he was drowning all of a sudden. It was too true. He hadn’t fought hard to keep Wonho by his side. There was so much he never told the other, never let him have the final call in his own fate. 

“Not what? Not going to kill them if you find them? Bull-fucking-shit.” 

“No, Wonho, this is just me asking. X is falling apart, the Commander is under investigation-” Shownu was cut off before he could say more. 

“So now is when you decide you care to keep us safe? Now you decide that you don’t want to do what you’ve always been told?” Wonho’s voice rose. Shownu put his hands up in defeat and hoped the other man would quiet down. “Since when do you care about anything but orders?” 

“Wonho, please listen to me,” Shownu pleaded. He was desperate. “Please-” 

“No! _You_ listen, Son Hyunwoo. And listen well. The day you decided that work was more important than any of us was the day you lost it all. And I’m not giving you anything now, because the least I can do is keep my family safe,” Wonho’s voice dripped with unfamiliar malice. He never got this angry. Typically, his emotions ran deep, but anger was never one he gave into very often. Shownu went still again, his ears ringing from the tension between them. 

“They’re my family, too,” he spoke just above a whisper. “And I- I can’t lose more of them. I already lost you. I lost my father, and now Kihyun and Changkyun,” Shownu swallowed hard, his eyes finally dropping to the floor. “You three are all I have left.” 

A soft gasp left Wonho’s mouth. His brow was furrowed when Shownu looked up again. “General Son?” Wonho asked, to which Shownu could only nod. 

“Everything has- just, so much shit happened at once. But he-he’s dead. I don’t know where the other two are or if they’re safe,” he hated how his voice wavered. Hated that tight feeling it got when crying was on the horizon. It made it hard to breathe, made it hard to keep a straight thought and not fall to pieces. Shownu _never_ let himself fall to pieces. 

“I never wanted to drag you back into this. I didn’t even think you would be involved at any point. I know I can’t take back what’s done but I can at least try to keep them safe,” his voice cracked at the end. “I just want to know they’re okay.” 

“Answer some questions for me, first.” 

Shownu almost jumped. Wonho was offering something, but he couldn’t be sure of what yet. So, he nodded and waited for the first question. 

“You’re really not here on orders?” Wonho narrowed his eyes. 

“I’m not,” he shook his head. “Technically, I guess,” he struggled to find the right words. “I’m with a different group. They want to...to stop X, take them down, I don’t care what they call it. Run by Kim Namjoon.” 

Wonho must have known the name as even he looked surprised. But he nodded and tapped his chin in thought. 

“How did you get that phone number?” 

“Club BamBam. I asked the DJ there, then when the number was run, your old picture came up. And I asked to come here alone.” 

“Why alone?” Wonho frowned. 

“Because I didn’t want anyone else to bother you,” what he didn’t say was that he had desperately wanted to see Wonho again, too. “I didn’t want you to be worried, or scared, if you knew anything about Kihyun and Changkyun.” 

“And you thought I’d react better to you.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Not entirely, but I know you more than they do,” Shownu searched Wonho’s face for anything. Any hint of what he was really feeling, or what he might be thinking. It was surprisingly blank in the moment, which made his heart wrench painfully in his chest. 

“Does anyone else know you’re here?” 

“Only Namjoon,” Shownu’s voice was quiet again. Wonho took a tentative step forward, making every inch of Shownu tense up. He kept his gaze steady, watched the shadows play across Wonho’s features in the dim morning light. It was still getting brighter, shining through the curtains now. 

“I know where they are. And they’re safe,” Wonho finally said. Shownu let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. 

“Thank you,” he whispered out and closed his eyes. A wave of relief washed over him just knowing they were alive. He trusted Wonho’s words more than anything else. Wonho would never lie about such a thing. “I’ll just, um,” he motioned to the doorway. “That’s all I wanted to hear, so-” 

“You’re leaving now?” 

“Yes?” Shownu’s brows came down, unsure of why Wonho was asking him. Wasn’t that what the other wanted? “Unless you had something else to ask me?” 

Wonho paused. Took a breath and finally spoke: 

“Changkyun told me that you’re the one that told them where I lived,” he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt for a moment. “That’s how he knew where to find me for help. So, Shownu, my question is, have you been watching me?” 

“Only sometimes,” he could feel heat rising to his cheeks. “Under orders. I never reported anything you did.” 

“Under orders- why would Commander Shithead put you on watch for me?” Wonho seemed to click a few things into place. Shownu thought he saw the signature gleam of tears in his eyes, but he didn’t want to watch them fall. Not again. “Shownu, why would you have to watch me when I was thrown out? Why would he make you do that when I wasn’t a problem anymore?” 

Shownu felt his throat closing up again. He never wanted to tell Wonho all of it, if only because he knew the man would blame himself. 

“Answer me,” the plea in his tone made Shownu weak. 

“It was either throw you out and monitor, or kill you,” Shownu finally choked out. “I either had to let you go like this, or he would kill you. I was afraid he still would, or another hunter would cause trouble so I-” he had to pause and close his eyes. “I took all your choices from you, because I didn’t want to lose you completely.” 

“Stupid,” Wonho mumbled. Shownu looked to him in confusion, holding his breath again. “You- you big, stupid-” The words seemed to get caught up in his mouth. Still holding his breath, Shownu wasn’t sure what to do. Wonho’s eyes watered and suddenly strong arms were around his shoulders, pulling him in closer. 

“Why didn’t you say something to me?” Wonho whispered into Shownu’s ear, his voice shaking. Shownu was stunned, unable to move or function. “I’m so- so _mad_ at you,” even if the words hurt, the same bite wasn’t there. “You didn’t have to carry that by yourself.” 

“I’m sorry,” Shownu was barely loud enough to be heard. “I’m sorry,” once the words were out, he couldn’t stop repeating them. Something cracked within Shownu at that point, the stress of everything pouring out before he could stop it. He gripped onto Wonho with trembling hands, burying his face against the other man’s shoulder. 

In the stillness of early morning light, Shownu finally let himself fall apart in Wonho’s arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think and yell at me about your feelings :D stay safe!


	8. i'll help you overcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration is still going strong sooo here you go! Anyone ready for the action to kick off soon? I was planning on having another scene at the end, but thought it worked better breaking the chapter where it ends. Enjoy! <3

“I’m still mad at you,” Wonho said, which was only half true. The hurt was still there, and while he could move beyond it, he knew it was bound to linger for a while still. 

“That’s okay,” Shownu mumbled out, voice hoarse after the outburst of emotions. He had settled down on Wonho’s couch, sniffling to himself while Wonho once again tried to keep his now very busted door closed. “You have every right to be mad.”

Wonho joined him on the couch for a moment, reaching out to pull Shownu close again. The elder had no complaints as he was pulled into resting his head on Wonho’s shoulder. Shownu had reached the point of exhausted blankness after an emotional tipping point. Wonho wiggled his hand behind Shownu’s back, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Slowly, his fingers started to run along the shell of the elder’s ear, gently playing with it as a form of comfort. 

“I shouldn’t stay,” Shownu spoke again, nearly completely slack against the other. Wonho hummed in thought but made no comment. “It’s too risky.” 

“Probably,” Wonho sighed. “Just take a minute longer.” 

Both men lapsed into silence. Wonho continued to rub Shownu’s ear, content to exist for just a moment longer next to him. Even if it went unspoken, both knew the future was unpredictable. Given the circumstances they were under and everything that had happened in the past, it was hard to say what the future held for them. So, neither of them asked or spoke of it. At that moment, it was too much. 

“How did you know I would be here?” Shownu was the first to break the silence. 

“The person you spoke to told me you called. When he said you used Hoseok, I figured it had to be you and I put the rest of the pieces together,” Wonho snorted to himself. “Guess it was a little stupid of me to rush in, but I didn’t want to risk the others.” 

“That’s pretty normal of you,” Shownu commented with the slightest hint of amusement. Oh, how easy it was to slip into these quiet moments. 

“Like you wouldn’t do the same thing,” Wonho countered. “We’re always looking out for our family. We’re the oldest.” 

“Yeah,” Shownu let out a long sigh. When he started to shift, Wonho pulled his hand away, allowing the other to sit up straight. “I don’t have to know where they are,” he looked Wonho in the eye, meaning every word. 

“You sure you don’t want me to tell you?” 

Shownu just shook his head. “They’re in good hands with you,” He paused, clearly thinking something over. “I do have one question,” he waited for Wonho to nod as a go-ahead. “Is it alright if I call you Seokkie again?” 

Wonho almost laughed. Instead, he gave the other man a sad smile as he reached out to cup Shownu’s cheeks in his hands. Pulling him close again, Wonho placed a soft kiss on Shownu’s forehead. 

“Yes,” he answered softly, leaning back to see the surprise and happiness growing on Shownu’s face. It was a start after what they had been through. A start that both of them could work with, however slowly it went.

Wonho watched Shownu leave shortly after that. The elder slipped out into the morning, the sun now shining down on them. He asked that Wonho keep Changkyun and Kihyun safe. That was a promise Wonho planned on keeping. When Shownu was no longer visible, Wonho went about gathering a few things and leaving his apartment once again. The others would be worried, he knew, and he wanted to fill them in on what was happening. Using his personal phone, he sent a message to the burner that Jooheon had kept that he would be returning soon enough.

Maybe, he thought for a moment, this was going to turn out okay. The road ahead was rocky, but they could manage as long as they all stuck together. Wonho was sure of it.

\--

Gunhee was worried. Upset. Mad, even. Shownu hadn’t answered him in days. His messages and attempts to contact the other hunter went ignored. While Gunhee wasn’t really a stickler for getting responses right away, too much had happened for him to let it go. A man had killed himself in front of them and the organization had been quick to cover it up. None of it sat well with him, to the point that even the rest of his team was getting upset as well. 

So, when Yoonho had been coming back into the compound after his own patrol, he informed Gunhee he had seen Shownu slipping out again by himself. Gunhee wondered if he should have questioned where Yoonho was, or what he was doing that early, but instead he was determined to figure out what was going on. Shownu was involved in an internal investigation, working with some other group that Gunhee didn’t care to deal with. 

He followed Shownu at a distance. Thankfully it was dark enough that he could stay hidden. The hunter didn’t have the foggiest idea of where Shownu might be going or why, until he saw him entering an apartment building. Confused, Gunhee set up watch outside. He knew going inside would be a great risk, so he hoped to see if anyone else appeared or left the building. If nothing else, he planned to tail Shownu and figure out what he was doing afterwards. 

Sure he was exhausted and hadn’t slept yet. But he had to know what was going on and figured there was no other way to get answers. Just as he was starting to feel hopeless, he noticed someone else approaching the building. Gunhee squinted and dared to move closer, trying to make out who it could be. The figure had broad shoulders, shockingly blonde hair, and walked quickly. Only when they stopped to look around the main entrance did Gunhee figure out who it was. 

Shownu was going to see Wonho. Gunhee was frozen in place. He didn’t know that Wonho was still in the area at all, or that Shownu had apparently been seeing him to some degree. He waited, longer than he thought he could, until he saw Shownu leaving the building again. The sun was up at that point, Gunhee deciding that it was worth the risk to move closer. The pair didn’t notice him, exchanging a few words. 

“Keep them safe,” Shownu looked at Wonho seriously. 

“Of course,” Wonho replied. It was all Gunhee could really make out, but it was enough to shock the hunter. 

Maybe he was too stunned to follow Shownu right away. He guessed the other hunter was returning home due to the direction he went. To think that Shownu had known more than he let on was concerning. Gunhee knew that the words he made out had to mean that Wonho knew where Changkyun and Kihyun were. What else could it be? Who else would Shownu ask Wonho to keep safe? His mind was racing as he worked on a plan of attack. 

When Wonho walked out again, a bag slung over his shoulder, he knew what he had to do. It was time to track down the ex-hunter and figure out what the hell was going on and where he was keeping the others. 

\--

Changkyun was antsy. He couldn’t stop himself from pacing around the basement, glancing at the stairs now and then. He hadn’t gone to sleep (really, he didn’t need to) and he was doing his best to keep quiet so Kihyun could rest. 

Kihyun, however, was more attuned to Changkyun than the fledgling vampire had thought previously. 

“If you don’t stop pacing, I will tie your legs together,” Kihyun groaned from the couch. Changkyun paused and looked over to him, frown evident on his face. 

“I can’t settle down,” he muttered and picked up the pacing once again. With a heaving sigh, Kihyun sat up. Changkyun didn’t stop to look at him that time. “Too much energy or something, I don’t know.” 

“It could be part of adjusting,” Kihyun offered. Changkyun shrugged. He really didn’t know. “Do you want me to get Hyungwon?” 

“No,” Changkyun snapped harder than he meant to. That made him pause, frown to himself as he stared at the carpet under his bare feet. “I don’t need Hyungwon right now,” his voice was softer that time. Kihyun was up and moving off of the couch before Changkyun could tell him not to. 

“What’s wrong? Talk to me,” Kihyun reached out. Changkyun, despite himself, went into Kihyun’s arms with ease. Changkyun buried his face against Kihyun’s shoulder, nuzzling in perhaps a bit harder than he meant to. Kihyun held up, squeezing the other closer. 

“Something feels wrong. Not...not with me, just in general. Like-” He fussed and shifted, almost pulling away from Kihyun. “Like something bad is going to happen,” his words were harder to understand as he turned his head. Without realizing he was doing it, he nosed towards Kihyun’s neck, dangerously close to where he had bitten him before. 

“Focus, Kyunnie,” Kihyun tutted at him. One of his hands slid into Changkyun’s grey locks, tugging on them with just enough force to make the other stop. He was still learning control and resisting the urge to drink Kihyun dry. “Listen to my voice. Focus on me and tell me what’s wrong.” 

Changkyun’s eyes, almost brighter red than before, seemed hazy. He blinked a few times as he refocused on Kihyun’s face. The other hunter’s hand was still in his hair, holding him back. Changkyun clenched his jaw hard in determination. 

“Kihyun,” he whined after a moment. It had been a learning curve but both were quick to pick up on Changkyun’s need for blood. Kihyun shook his head, which only made Changkyun whine even more. “But-” 

“Don’t be a brat,” his boyfriend scolded lightly. “I’ll give you some after you tell me what you’re feeling. How does that sound?” 

“Unfair.” 

“Changkyun.” 

It was hard to stay focused, even when he had felt something wrong before. Changkyun was too new to completely drown out his cravings. He had maybe found comfort in it now, at least when Kihyun offered him any blood. The others hadn’t exactly been keen on the idea of Kihyun offering anything, but as long as some safeguards were in place, it hadn’t gone badly so far. 

“Not my fault you smell so good now,” Changkyung grumbled. Kihyun only scolded him again for it and stepped further away, releasing his hold on Changkyun’s hair. 

“You said you felt like something bad was going to happen. Explain,” Kihyun folded his arms over his chest, head cocked to the side. It was a typical stance he took when he wanted answers and Changkyun was being impatient. Given no other option, Changkyun tried his best to shake off the craving. 

“Uh,” he shifted uneasily on his feet. He knew in the end this was good practice for controlling himself and getting his mind out of the haze of Kihyun’s scent. “Sort of like...not to be dramatic, but an impending sense of doom?” 

“Like a panic attack?” Kihyun asked for clarification. Changkyun shook his head again. 

“Not exactly, no. I  _ feel  _ like something bad is going to happen. It’s more than just anxiety, I think,” he scrunched his face up in thought. “I feel like something is right outside the door and-” he stopped and stared up the stairs again. 

“And?” 

“I can’t hear anyone moving around,” Changkyun’s voice was quiet. 

“It’s midday. They shouldn’t be moving around,” Kihyun replied easily. Changkyun turned his gaze back to the other male, noting how tired he still looked, too. “According to the time, it’s early afternoon. You’re only moving around because there’s no windows down here.” 

“Fuck, I don’t know, then. Something feels off and it’s like it’s crawling under my skin. I can’t shake it,” Changkyun huffed. “I don’t know how else to explain. Can I-” he was fidgeting more than ever. “Please, Ki, can I have some? It’ll give me something else to focus on.” 

Changkyun didn’t like asking for blood, specifically. It still made him nervous, bordering on agitated. He was trying to explain, at least, and Kihyun never knocked him for that. Every time he asked guilt roiled in his gut, hating that he needed to ask. While he was fairly certain Kihyun knew how guilty Changkyun felt, he was always willing to offer what he could. 

“Alright,” Kihyun moved a few steps closer. “Wrist this time,” he extended his arm. Changkyun scrunched his face up again. “It’s practice, Kyunnie. You need it.” 

“Quit saying it like it’s an important life skill,” he muttered. He sounded annoyed, likely because Changkyun didn’t like to think about drinking blood from another human. Still grappling with the need for it at all, he loathed the idea of ever drinking from a living person- aside from Kihyun. Even then, it was mostly because Kihyun insisted on giving him some. 

“It sort of is, though. Unless you’d rather another blood bag?” Kihyun raised a brow, mouth set in a firm line. He wasn’t mad, Changkyun knew, but it was another expression to show Changkyun had two choices. At least Kihyun was willing to give him one at all. 

“Ugh, no,” Changkyun finally gave in. He accepted Kihyun’s wrist, gripping it as gently as possible. He was always exceedingly careful with his strength, afraid to hurt Kihyun by holding too tightly. 

“Couch?” Kihyun nodded his head towards it. Changkyun agreed, knowing that even if he didn’t take a lot, Kihyun always got a bit dizzy afterwards. They settled together, Changkyun curling up against the warmth of Kihyun, even going so far as to place a few kisses to his wrist before biting. 

Only one sharp intake of breath came from Kihyun, before Changkyun could feel the other petting his hair. Kihyun always signaled when Changkyun needed to stop, the newborn responding well to a tug or the soft call of his name. Kihyun’s voice always reached him. Finally distracted enough from the anxiousness he felt earlier, Changkyun practically wrapped himself around Kihyun and closed his eyes. The house stayed quiet. Both rested there on the couch, Kihyun even managing to fall asleep. For a brief moment, it felt right. 

\--

Jooheon was the first to notice a sound that should not be there. He had stayed up, drawing all the blackout curtains in the house just so he could do so. Wonho had messaged to say he was returning home and he wanted to wait. He didn’t move around too much, instead playing around on his own phone and checking the burner one occasionally. Whoever had tried to contact Wonho was someone potentially threatening. But to know that the ex-hunter was coming back unharmed made Jooheon relax. 

The human was back and safe. Jooheon could pick up on a much lighter feeling around Wonho, even in his tiredness. Wonho didn’t have as many dark clouds over his head. So he hadn’t thought to ask what went on or why he seemed just a touch different now- because Wonho looked happier. 

“I hate asking,” Jooheon started, lingering in the doorway to Wonho’s “room”. The human sighed and looked over at the young vampire. 

“Ask away,” He smiled tiredly. 

“You weren’t followed back or anything, right?” Jooheon twisted his hands together. Wonho frowned, before shaking his head in response. 

“No, my contact left before me. And I stayed a while afterwards to get things. I wasn’t followed.” 

Jooheon, still nervous, smiled as best as he could and let it go. The ex-hunter had retired quickly after that, falling asleep near instantly. The vampire was still too wound up to rest yet, so he stayed awake and moved through the house, silently padding his way from room to room. 

Wonho had been a near constant staple in his life after he was turned. He created a balance in the home that Jooheon always appreciated. He had absolutely no qualms about being turned when it had happened, but Wonho had reassured him even more that he was fine. Even with his mismatched eyes- one having become icy blue when he was turned. When he was curious about why only one eye had changed color, no one knew the full answer. Wonho explained that newborns usually took on the eye color of the one who changed them. Jooheon just got one, for whatever reason. 

_ “It makes you one of a kind,” Minhyuk chimed in, poking Jooheon’s cheek. “Only our Honey.”  _

It hadn’t been a choice when it happened, but Jooheon was just happy to be alive. Alive and well, with people he loved, and in a better life than the one he had before. 

That life, however, was being pushed into a dangerous territory. Not so much by Kihyun and Changkyun, but the people that were after them. Jooheon never blamed his newfound friends, not once. They were just as much a victim in all of this mess, and he was determined to help them however he could. 

Hearing the noise, whatever it was, sent him on edge. It wasn’t a sound he knew. He had familiarized himself with all of the sounds in the house long before he was even a vampire. Being daylight, the others were sleeping. Wonho was exhausted and crashed. Changkyun and Kihyun were in the basement, silent as well. 

Then he heard someone try the door handle. Jooheon jolted, moving to the bedroom in a flash. He scrambled to pick up Minhyuk’s phone off of the bedside table, ignoring the pair buried under the blankets. A notification was lighting up Minhyuk’s phone, the doorbell camera showing activity at the front. If humans lived there, someone would answer the door. The people showing on the camera looked normal enough, but Jooheon knew something was wrong. 

“Get up,” Jooheon urged, reaching out to pull the blankets away. Minhyuk groaned, already weakly swatting at Jooheon’s hand. “Get up, now!” he raised his voice, shaking the other’s vampire’s shoulder. 

“Honey, what are you doing?” Minhyuk grumbled and sat up, hair sticking up in different directions. Hyungwon groaned behind him, still refusing to sit up. 

“People are outside,” Jooheon rushed out. “Too many people- I think- I think they’re here for Changkyun and Kihyun.” It was a hunch, but what else could a group of people want right now? 

“Fuck,” Minhyuk kicked the blankets away. “Shit, fucking shit,” he was moving quickly to dare a glance out the window. Hissing at how badly it burned his eyes, he pulled back and frowned hard. “Definitely not good people, whoever they are. No one shows up in black cars and black suits and expects good things to happen.” 

Hyungwon, at that point, was awake and sitting up. Another knock at the door, followed by the bell ringing. The sounds were becoming more insistent, demanding to be acknowledged. Jooheon stared back towards the front of the house and grit his teeth. 

“Jooheon,” Hyungwon broke his concentration. “I want you to go down and get Changkyun and Kihyun ready.” 

“Ready for what?” Jooheon blurted out. 

“To leave. We can’t let anyone know they’re on the premise. Go get them up and tell them to be ready. Min,” Hyungwon looked to the other vampire, whose eyes were already focused on him. “Do you think you can hold any of them off?” 

“Most definitely,” Minhyuk snorted. “I’ll go get Wonho up. We have to be ready to run in about one more minute,” Minhyuk was out of the room at that. Jooheon was soon to follow, flitting through the shadows and down to the basement. He found the pair on the couch and quickly shook them awake, hissing for them to get up. Changkyun reacted with a snarl and pulled Kihyun away from a potential threat. 

After a brief moment of panic, it was clear that it was only Jooheon there, and he was scared. 

“What’s going on?” Kihyun asked first. 

“You have to get ready to leave. We think the people outside are here for you, and you- we all have to run,” Jooheon spoke in a rush. Kihyun stared between Jooheon and Changkyun, eyes wide and the gears turning in his head. 

“It’s daylight,” Kihyun said to no one in particular. How the hell were they supposed to move a vampire in the daylight?

“He’s new but he won’t burn up that quickly,” Jooheon moved around, grabbing blankets and jackets, starting to pile them onto Changkyun, who was standing quite still as he took everything in. “If we stay covered enough, it’ll be some discomfort until we can get out of it. Nothing severe if we’re quick,” Jooheon was speaking a mile a minute, Kihyun just able to keep up. 

“How many people are out there?” Kihyun asked. 

“Dunno. Enough,” Jooheon shrugged as he wrapped another blanket around Changkyun. “Right now, all I know we can do is run. If this organization of yours is the one here, we’re all fucked if we stick around.” 

Before Jooheon could explain more, another set of feet could be heard coming down to the basement. Wonho, followed by Minhyuk and Hyungwon, rushed into the basement and shut the door behind them. 

“How did they find us here?” Kihyun was asking, tone almost desperate, looking to Wonho. Jooheon wished he had a good answer. 

“I- I don’t know, Ki, they must have followed me, I should’ve-” he grit his teeth and shook his head. “You two,” Wonho pointed at the pair. “Are going out the back door. Jooheon, you’re going with them.” 

“Hyungwon is going with you, too,” Minhyuk spoke up. “He’s the one that’s able to help the most if Changkyun needs it, finish getting wrapped up  _ now. _ ” 

“W-wait- wait, why me? I can stay! You two aren’t staying behind, are you? That’s stupid-” 

“Jooheon,” Minhyuk had a serious tone. It wasn’t often that sound came from him. “You will listen and go. You’re too young and these are experienced hunters.” 

“They are,” Wonho echoed. “A quick look from the cameras outside...I don’t recognize a lot of them, but there’s enough to be scared.” 

“Hyung why would you stay?” Changkyun looked at Wonho, eyes shining from under the blanket hood he had now. “Why can’t we all go?” 

“Someone needs to keep them back. Throw them off the trail and keep them busy here, give all of you time to get out,” Wonho sighed and shoved a hand through his hair. The sounds from above them were getting louder, shouting heard as the door started to buckle outside. They were breaking in. Everyone froze for a brief moment, staring up and listening. 

“Min-” Hyungwon looked at Minhyuk, brow furrowed. “You have to-” he seemed choked up. “You have to come back to me.” 

“Always,” Minhyuk winked. “Jooheon, you help keep them safe, got it?” he pointed to the other young vampire. Jooheon, eyes shining with tears, nodded. 

“Where are we supposed to go?” Kihyun asked. He tucked another blanket around Changkyun before making sure Jooheon was settled as well. 

“Don't know yet,” Hyungwon answered. “Follow me and let’s go,” he slipped a jacket on, threw face masks at the other vampires and Kihyun for consistency, everyone bundled and wrapped as much as possible. Then Hyungwon was ushering them towards the back door of the basement, tucked and hidden away. Kihyung struggled to keep his grip on Changkyun and crane his neck around to see Wonho running back up the stairs. Minhyuk was already gone. 

It all happened so suddenly. 

Jooheon realized they were outside when the light was suddenly too much to see anything at all. Hyungwon, somehow, was handling it like it was only a minor inconvenience and he was the least covered. The eldest vampire shoved everyone into a car that Jooheon didn’t remember having. He had seen it on the street a few times, around the block from their home. But he had never thought for a second that it was theirs. Maybe Hyungwon was just taking it anyway. 

The sounds of glass breaking and doors busting reached his ears. Jooheon jerked his head back towards his home, watching as men swarmed into it. Someone was tugging on his arm and speaking to him, telling him to move. Jooheon could barely hear it, instead wishing so badly to run back and save the others. 

“Easy,” Hyungwon whispered as he touched the back of Jooheon’s neck. The vampire wavered where he stood before Hyungwon could easily manipulate him into the car. He was sure other sounds were happening, people talking or maybe arguing about what happened next. Then the car started and they were off, a new scent filling his nose as he was buried under more blankets. Changkyun, he realized. Changkyun had pulled him close in the seat and buried them into a blanket fort, so to speak. They were concealed for now, away from the sun, as the car peeled out from the parking spot. All of them on the run. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo maybe a bit of a cliffhanger. I'm good at that, apparently. I really hope you enjoyed it and look forward to the action coming next! Will Min and Wonho get out okay? Will the others be safe and hidden? Only time will tell :D 
> 
> A quick question as well- given the little things and hints I dropped in this chapter, would anyone be interested in reading a side story of how Jooheon became a vampire? And/or why he lives with Minhyuk and Hyungwon? I have their story planned, but not really written yet. Anyway, let me know what you think!! Thank you all as always, I love you all <333


	9. this is not goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who came back with more being mean to the boys! I tried for more action in this chapter, with a variety of perspectives. A few little things are revealed. A huuuuge thank you goes out to [emmi19](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmi19) and [namjoonscrabs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/namjoonscrabs/pseuds/namjoonscrabs) for all their help and ideas to bounce off of. They've been a huge part of all of this, and in some upcoming chapters, they're directly responsible for some cameos! Their own work hasn't been posted as of yet, but still! Those two are my best friends and I love them to pieces. 
> 
> This chapter is just a bit shorter than the previous ones, but I hope to have another one out soon! Thank you to everyone for all the comments and HITTING 1K oh my lordt

“You’re late night contact double cross you?” Minhyuk swore as he waited, eyes focused on the door each time it bulged inwards. 

“No,” Wonho growled in return. “I just wasn’t careful enough. Someone had to have followed me back and it wasn’t him,” Wonho was sure of that much. He told himself that over and over, because he couldn’t believe Shownu had some twisted plan to pull this off. It wasn’t possible. 

“Either way, this will be...messy,” Minhyuk glanced at the ex-hunter. Wonho had somehow produced a few small weapons. Minhyuk didn’t ask questions. “You could have gone with them,” he chided, knowing that while Wonho was very good at his job, he didn’t exactly enjoy violence. 

“And leave you to handle it yourself? No,” Wonho snorted and moved to the door. “Just keep your head down for a second,” was all the warning he gave before the door opened and the man pounding it seemed rather surprised. 

Minhyuk listened from a far corner, hidden in as many shadows as he could find. 

“Gunhee?” was the first thing Wonho asked. Minhyuk didn’t know that name. “What the hell are you here for? And all this?” 

Minhyuk noticed him motioning to the small gathering outside of their home.

“You need to hand over the fugitives right now, and you won’t be brought in as well,” Gunhee spoke slowly. Wonho shook his head. 

“Fugitives?” 

“You know who I’m asking for. Now hand them over, and you won’t be bothered. If you fail to do this, I have direct orders from the Commander to see you are arrested for impeding an investigation.” 

“Not gonna happen, bud,” Wonho shrugged one large shoulder. “I don’t hand over innocent people, especially when I know the assholes taking them.” 

The distinct sound of flesh hitting flesh came next. Gunhee had swung hard and punched Wonho in the jaw. Wonho, thrown off balance, stumbled back from the door. That was all it took for the other men to start swarming in, charging almost, some cornering Minhyuk and others with guns trained on Wonho. 

Faintly, his ears picked up on the sounds of tires squealing as the others got away. Minhyuk smirked to himself, rolling his head to crack his neck. His eyes sparked a deep violet color, focusing on the crowd before him. It wasn’t often, or any time recently, that he had gotten to let loose. Now seemed like the perfect moment to do just that. 

“I don’t appreciate people breaking into my house,” Minhyuk frowned at the hunters that dared to cross him. 

“Min, don’t,” Wonho warned. The vampire tilted his head and glanced at his companion. Some of these people were Wonho’s old teammates. Shared stories with him, he was sure. Minhyuk wasn’t one to get very sentimental, even less so when he was pissed off. 

“I’ll ask one more time,” Gunhee glared hard at Wonho, completely ignoring Minhyuk. “Where are the fugitives?” 

The curtains were still pulled throughout the house. Minhyuk did a quick count. This man had brought a team of ten hunters into his home. Had sent the others running for safety. The intruders were all inside now, the door shut in hopes of keeping prying eyes away. Minhyuk grinned at the thought of it. The team of humans was getting antsy, wondering why the vampire wasn’t moving and why Wonho wasn’t answering. 

“Yo, asshole,” Minhyuk called out. “You’re shit out of luck,” he was on the move at that point, grabbing one man’s extended arm and twisting with such speed and force his elbow cracked. Minhyuk caught the gun dropped from his hand, using the injured hunter as a shield and hitting two more with deadly accuracy. One caught a bullet in the chest- body armor kept him alive but the next shot to his knee took him down to the ground. The second hunter fell with a wound to each leg. The first he had grabbed was pistol whipped before he could even realize what had happened. 

Gunhee swore loudly, going to draw his own weapon until Wonho tackled him to the ground. Realizing those two were taken care of for now, Minhyuk refocused his attention on the remaining hunters. 

“Don’t worry about them,” he grinned, fangs on full display. “I’m much more of a problem,” Minhyuk almost cackled as he rushed another, sliding across the floor when he was close enough to snag a knife on the hunter’s thigh. Guns really weren’t as fun and Minhyuk was pissed he had trimmed his nails down recently. Claws would have been so much more useful. 

These hunters were newer, if their ability to keep up with Minhyuk was anything to judge them on. There were plenty of reasons Minhyuk had lived as long as he did, without ever being caught and without ever really having to fight the hunters off. Part of that was the peaceful existence he had made with Hyungwon and then Jooheon, but the other part was, well. 

He was too good. 

Violet eyes narrowed as he felt the graze of a blade over his shoulder. He dropped lower and lunged upwards, digging the knife he had grabbed into a hunter’s hip. They wailed and dropped to the ground, Minhyuk ripping the blade free and landing one good stomp on their stomach. For good measure. 

Blood was already staining the floor in some places, a few bodies writhing in pain. More experienced hunters might try to move beyond it, but these new ones couldn’t process it. Minhyuk huffed at how young they had to be. 

Another reason Minhyuk got away regularly enough was that he never really killed too many people. Maimed them, sure. But he tried to avoid outright death if he could. 

“STOP!” a voice boomed from behind Minhyuk. The vampire stilled, gripping the knife hard in his hand. Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder to see the leader of this little group- Gunhee, was it? With Wonho. 

Gunhee with Wonho, who was bleeding. Gunhee, holding a gun to Wonho’s head and pressing the barrel into his temple. Minhyuk went stock-still, eyes widening as he tried to see what had been done to his friend. 

“Give it up now, or I shoot him,” Gunhee threatened. 

“You’re bluffing,” Minhyuk said easily. “You need information from him.” 

“Maybe, but I won’t let my team be slaughtered. I’ll work around it,” Gunhee countered. Wonho grimaced and tried to squirm away from Gunhee’s grip. From what Minhyuk could see, Wonho’s nose was busted. More blood was coming from his forearm- the same one that Changkyun had bitten weeks ago. Gunhee had gone for an assumed weak spot and reopened the scars there. 

“Minhyuk just shut up!” Wonho hissed, knowing the vampire was never one to do things quietly. Minhyuk was mad now, riled up from the brief fight and the other hunters starting to close in on him. 

“You know if he pulls the trigger on you, I’d have every one of these assholes downed before you hit the ground,” Minhyuk’s voice was rougher, dropping into a growl as he spoke. “Let him go,” his eyes narrowed in on Gunhee, who hardly seemed afraid. 

Wonho’s face was the one to contort quickly into fear, eyes staring beyond Minhyuk. Just as he shouted, kicked his legs, thrashed, anything to warn Minhyuk, he felt something sharp in his neck. It was more like a sting, pinpointed and cold, right in the side of his neck. 

Minhyuk swatted at it seconds too late, twisting enough to get away from whatever it had been. He grabbed the offending hunter by the throat, slamming them back into a wall and squeezing hard. Despite his anger and the urge to crush the hunter’s throat under his hand, he could feel his grip start to shake. A shiver ran through the vampire, unfamiliar and wrong. He didn’t get cold anymore. 

It felt like icicles scraping through his veins. Minhyuk dropped the hunter and took a stumbling step backwards. Minhyuk didn’t quite remember what it felt like to have a full heartbeat, but he was suddenly made aware of it, of every organ inside his body. 

He was aware of whatever they had given him moving throughout his system, dark veins spreading against pale skin. His lips took on a bluish hue, the color starting to seep into his cheek as well. Minhyuk didn’t get cold anymore. He wasn’t supposed to. 

But he suddenly felt everything in the worst way possible. Cold because freezing, numbing and painful all at once. The vampire started to crumple to the floor, curling in on himself as he felt a strained heartbeat again. Felt like his lungs were rattling in his chest and something horrible was twisting up in his guts. His blood- consumed or his own- felt glacial. The cold was all consuming and with it brought biting, piercing pain. 

“What did you do!?” Wonho was frantic. Minhyuk could hear him shouting. The vampire had curled into a ball on the ground, wheezing and shivering. “Minhyuk! Minhyuk! Say something!” Wonho wailed. Minhyuk could make out the sounds of a struggle, but they seemed far away. He felt like he was drowning then, drowning in frozen water, trapped under the ice. 

\--

Wonho stomped his foot down hard on Gunhee’s foot before swinging his elbow back and landing it right in the other man’s jaw. It gave a satisfying crack before he was able to break the hold completely. He skidded to Minhyuk’s side, gathering up the vampire in his arms and frantically trying to get him to talk. 

“What the fuck did you do?” Wonho spat at the other hunters. “What did you give him?” It wasn’t usual that Wonho reached a point of wanting to cause violent harm. But this was quickly getting to that. 

“Colloidal silver,” Gunhee snorted and spit a wad of blood from his mouth. Wiping the excess away left a smear of red across his stern face. “Among other things. Silver is good for fucking vamps up, you know?” Gunhee moved closer, holding a hand up when Wonho looked like he might launch up at him. “He won’t die. Not enough to kill him for a good long while.”

“Fuck you,” Wonho growled, tucking Minhyuk to his chest. “If you thought I was going to answer you before,” he chuffed, shaking his head. “Guess fucking again.” 

“Commander Kim gave me permission to bring you and anyone else in. He didn’t know about your little rendezvous with Shownu, either. So I’m sure he’s eager to talk to you both.” 

“You followed us?” Wonho gasped, scooting away on the floor. He hoped there was still a chance to break out, to get away from the hunters keeping them trapped. 

“Everyone knew Shownu was up to something, but he never spoke to anyone. I finally got fed up with it and tracked him until you showed up. Now we’re here,” Gunhee explained, pulling a pair of cuffs and other restraints from his belt. “You’ll be filled in later, I’m sure.” 

Wonho still tried to fight. He kicked his leg out and landed it against Gunhee’s stomach. Shoving himself up while gripping Minhyuk in his arms had been far from easy, but he was desperate to make one last get away. 

He hadn’t even had the chance to tell Kihyun and Changkyun that Shownu was on their side. They didn’t know everything he knew yet. Wonho only made it several more steps before the other hunters dove after him. 

Tackled to the floor, Wonho turned in an attempt to protect Minhyuk from more damage. He curled himself around the vampire, still gripping him tightly to his chest as something hard came down across his back. A club, he guessed. The only thing on his side was they wanted him alive, so he knew a knife or gun wouldn’t be used. Their fists, feet, and batons though? Those could still be used to get the point across. And Wonho felt every blow, every time the toe of a boot dug hard into his ribs or a club came down across his broad shoulders. 

The last thing he saw was Gunhee’s boots standing in front of his face, just as something else crashed against the back of his head and darkness swallowed him whole. 

\--

Gunhee observed as Wonho and the vampire were carried into a facility he had never seen before. They were connected to the test labs, away from the main compound, and he couldn’t recall ever having been there before. Arms folded over his chest, he oversaw the moving of their new “prisoners”, waiting for the next order from Commander Kim. 

When he had gone to the commander about what he witnessed between Shownu and Wonho, he had been sent to capture anyone that he found. Gunhee had been hoping for Changkyun and Kihyun, but ended up with Wonho and a vampire he didn’t care about. Both were incapicitated for the time being, thrown into different holding cells. It was strange, Gunhee thought, to be in a different facility. The Commander had been the one to give the orders, of course. These prisoners were to be held at another facility and that was all he would answer for now. 

But this was part of the labs. The same labs that created the shot that had been used on the vampire; a toxic mix of silver suspended in a concoction of deadly ingredients. It was a long list, one he hadn’t cared to remember, as long as he knew it was effective on vampires. So far, it was proving to be just that. The one they had managed to capture was still out, easily thrown into a cell without a fuss. 

“Good work out there, Song,” Commander Kim spoke as soon as he appeared. Gunhee jolted at the sudden voice, but turned and bowed his head to the man in charge. He followed the Commander’s eyes towards the vampire’s cell, Wonho’s next to it. 

“Permission to speak freely, sir?” 

“Go ahead,” Kim nodded his head. 

“This lab isn’t on any of our maps that I’m aware of. What is this place used for?” Gunhee asked, already feeling a churning in his stomach. Why did this feel wrong?

“Simply put, this is my own business. Here, I am able to produce quality weapons and counter measures against vampires. The ones you captured tonight will make for very good test subjects, I’m sure,” the Commander explained. 

“Wait, you mean- even Wonho?” 

“It was what I would have done with him originally, but Mr. Son made too much of a fuss about it. Disappearances can’t be made too suspicious,” He tipped his head to the side, watching from inside the cell as the vampire was strapped to a metal examination table. 

“What’s going to happen?” Gunhee strained to get the words out. 

“Don’t sound so shocked,” the elder brushed him off. “We’re going to see his limits of silver intake before he dies.” 

Gunhee had the distinct feeling there was much more going on at this location. He had never thought to ask how new weapons were developed against vampires. Never thought about the ones that were brought in alive and made to disappear. He had never needed to worry about it, so why would he ask? But now, he didn’t even have the nerve to ask what was going to happen to Wonho. 

“None of this leaves this lab, do you understand?” Commander Kim spoke once again. His tone was like an icicle stabbing right into Gunhee’s chest. “I won’t have anyone else poking around where they’re not needed.” He was talking about Namjoon’s team. Gunhee was sure of it. 

He swallowed dryly and nodded his head once. “Yes, sir.” 

\--

Changkyun lost track of all time staying burrowed in the backseat of the car. He was only fifty percent sure that Hyungwon  _ owned  _ the car, but none of that really mattered. Jooheon was in his lap, curled up into the smallest ball a guy his size could manage. Every now and then, he could hear Kihyun speaking. Kihyun had to be the one driving, given that he was the only one that wouldn’t develop third degree burns just from being in the sunlight. Sometimes, it sounded like Kihyun was talking just to make noise, to make his presence known. It comforted Changkyun more than he could put into words. 

At some point, they had stopped. Changkyun, having stayed awake the whole time, assumed it was either dark enough to stop, or they were out of gas. Hearing Kihyun swear, it turned out to be both. 

“Jooheon, Changkyun, you can look,” Hyungwon spoke. Changkyun wiggled his way up more, head poking out of the blankets as his eyes adjusted to the change of scenery. Jooheon, on the other hand, had stayed curled up and burrowed into Changkyun’s chest. Changkyun pulled the blankets back, looking down at the other vampire. Only then did he really notice that Jooheon was shaking. 

“Jooheon? Honey?” Hyungwon reached into the back with a long arm to shake Jooheon’s shoulder. Being long-limbed and lanky made it easier for him to twist in an attempt to reach Jooheon better. 

“We left Minhyuk,” Jooheon weakly rasped out. Changkyun frowned. How long had Jooheon been crying? “And Wonho. We left them-” 

“We had to,” Hyungwon replied, but no one missed the pain in his tone. “We have to trust that they’ll be okay. Minhyuk can find us anywhere. He always has.” 

“If I turn myself in, they might let the others go,” Changkyun’s deep voice rumbled up. The car went still. “That’s what they wanted. They won’t be kind to either of them,” his stare was distant. 

“Absolutely fucking not,” Kihyun, as Changkyun predicted, refused. “They’ll kill you on sight, Changkyun, and there’s no guarantee they would even tease the idea of letting Wonho and Minhyuk go.” 

“It’s the only other option we have,” Changkyun stared at Kihyun. The new vampire was tired. Exhausted in ways he never thought possible. He had reached a careful state of numbness that dulled the ache in his bones, but he could see the stress eating away at Kihyun. Could feel it making Jooheon shake. Could hear it in the way Hyungwon’s voice was softer than ever before. 

“We’ll find a different option,” Kihyun groused. “We’ve made it this far and you want to give up now?” 

“I wanted to give up the second I was turned.” 

The car went silent. The implications of Changkyun’s words were clear. Kihyun stared hard at Changkyun, one hand still gripping the wheel hard enough to turn his knuckles white. It was like he was scraping his mind for something to say, something sharp and witty. But Changkyun only returned the look, expression empty. Kihyun’s face scrunched up before he threw the car door open, nearly kicking it out of the way. It slammed shut, rocking the car as Kihyun stormed a short distance away. 

Changkyun opened his mouth to speak, though he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say. Hyungwon cut him off with a raised hand. Icy blue eyes narrowed at the new vampire, before Hyungwon slipped from the car as well. It was dark enough that he could be outside without harm, but light enough to see where the two were now standing. 

Jooheon shifted away from Changkyun, scooting to the other side of the seat. He wrung his hands together, nervously glancing towards Kihyun and Hyungwon. 

“Why do you keep saying things like that?” Jooheon finally asked. “You keep hurting Kihyun when you talk about giving up.” 

“I don’t think that’s your business,” Changkyun shrugged. 

“Cut the bullshit already, Changkyun. I haven’t known you for very long, but I know you’re feeling way more than you ever let on. And when you want to call it quits, or throw yourself to the wolves, you’re not thinking of what that does to anyone else,” Jooheon snapped, glaring hard. His hands never stopped wringing together, though. 

“My friends gave themselves up to keep you two safe. To keep all of us safe. Wonho is your friend too, last time I checked,” Jooheon bounced his knee for a moment before stopping. “Minhyuk is...he’s everything to me. So is Hyungwon. And I know he’s hurting more than any of us over Minhyuk right now.” 

“Then they could have just handed me over-” 

“Don’t you get it?” Jooheon shouted. “That’s not the point! We don’t want to do that! All that time you spent with Hyungwon in the basement, Kihyun never stopped asking for you. He was ready to throw everything he had out the window  _ just for you _ .” 

“I do know that!” Changkyun snarled. Jooheon didn’t flinch away from him, instead baring his own fangs as well. “I know how much he cares-” Changkyun wasn’t sure how to put it all into words. “I love Kihyun, m-more than anything, and I...I’m sick of this many people being put at risk because of me!” 

“Too fucking bad,” Jooheon hissed. “This is the situation we’re in. And people we love are in trouble, so you better not give up the fight now, not until we know they’re all safe.” 

“You didn’t even need to be involved, I shouldn’t have pulled everyone in-” Changkyun was cut off by Jooheon grabbing his hand. The movement startled him, but he stopped talking as well. 

“Don’t push us all away in some weird attempt to spare us, Changkyun. You keep saying that because I think you’re trying to spare yourself more pain than any of us,” his words stung, but they held the truth. “We’re all in this now, so get used to it.” 

Changkyun didn’t want to say anything else. As short lived as the argument was, it had taken everything out of him. Jooheon’s anger was more than justifiable. Kihyun’s need for space was, too. Knowing Wonho and Minhyuk were left behind, knowing that whole units were out looking for him, made Changkyun sick to his stomach. He wasn’t worth all of this struggle, all of this pain he was causing. 

The sound of the car doors opening jolted him back to the present, Jooheon still sitting away from him. Kihyun was still angry. Hyungwon closed his door before speaking. 

“Jooheon, do you still have the burner phone?” 

“Um,” Jooheon shifted, digging around for a moment. “Yeah, I do. Still charged, too.” He held it out for Hyungwon, even though the older vampire had not asked for it. Jooheon just knew he wanted it. Changkyun watched as Hyungwon scrolled through the phone, presumably through the few contacts it had. 

For a moment, he settled his gaze on the back of Kihyun’s head. Kihyun had his head turned to stare out the window, chin propped in his hand. He could already picture the way Kihyun’s chin was scrunched up like a walnut, the furrow between his brows. Changkyun wanted to soothe them with a stupid pun for a moment. But then he remembered Kihyun was mad  _ at  _ him. 

“Who are you calling?” Jooheon asked. Hyungwon didn’t answer, as he already had the phone to his ear. It rang twice before someone picked up. Changkyun could make out a voice on the other end before Hyungwon spoke.

“I need to come in and speak with the boss.” 


	10. it ain't over until it's over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate for a chance. Determined to keep going. But can they make it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween everyone! I'm back with being mean to everyone again! :D A huge thanks to [emmi19](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmi19) and [namjoonscrabs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/namjoonscrabs)for the big part they played in this chapter! Club BamBam and the characterization of Jackson and Jinyoung are created by and credited to them! They're writing their own beautiful story that will be posted (and I'll link to when it becomes available) and we decided to have a few small tie ins with each other. 
> 
> Other than that, a small warning for the end of the chapter, it's starting to get dark. But it'll get better soon! I promise! Thanks again for reading, and stay safe!

-several hours earlier- 

Shownu had, regrettably, walked all the way back to the compound. He was exhausted for a number of reasons, but he hadn’t really expected anything to go down like it had. By the time he made it back to his own room, he was ready to collapse onto his bed and not move. Hopefully, no one would be looking for him or wanting anything.

Of course, luck was not on Shownu’s side. He had no sooner closed his eyes, only to feel like he immediately opened them again to someone pounding on his door. He had half a mind to tell whoever it was to leave him alone, but the insistent knocking turned into his door being kicked in. 

Scrambling to get out of bed and half blinded by sleep, Shownu felt a strop grip form around his arms. Multiple hands were on him, dragging him to his feet and towards the door. 

“What-” Shownu tried to get out. He twisted his arms, looking back and forth between the two men that had grabbed him out of bed. They weren’t familiar, but he knew they worked under the Commander. All of his attempts to ask what was happening were met with silence and stony expressions. Nothing about this was good. Panic rose in his throat the further down the hall they went. 

It wasn’t in a direction Shownu went normally. He tried again to ask what was happening, but again, was met with silence. The lack of answers only made his breathing quicken, the man dragging his feet in a futile attempt to get them to stop. Why weren’t they speaking? Where were they taking him? 

Halfway to wherever it was they were dragging him, they were finally stopped. Namjoon of all people stood there, panting and red-faced like he had been running. 

“Release him, right now,” Namjoon blocked their path. As unassuming as he could be, he was far from a small person. “You do not have permission or the proper orders to take him into any kind of custody.” 

“We have direct orders from the Commander,” one of the men spoke. Shownu looked only at Namjoon, praying this would work out. Namjoon would explain what was going on, hopefully. 

“And I have authority over him. I’m running this investigation and you’re not taking anyone anywhere, got it?” His form seemed to fill up the hallway, tall and broad enough to pose a threat.

The men looked between each other, wondering if they should listen. Both were still squeezing Shownu’s arms hard enough to bruise, their grip powerful. When it didn’t lessen, Namjoon took a step forward, chin held up and something deadly in his eyes. 

“Fuck with me. I dare you.” 

The grip was released instantly. Shownu stumbled, going down on his knees with a painful thud. Namjoon paused to keep staring the men down before crouching to help him up. Shownu quietly thanked him, trying to stop his legs from shaking and his heart from beating out of his chest. 

“Jin, Taehyung,” Namjoon called. Shownu hadn’t seen anyone else with him before, but there they were. Two vampires had materialized as if from the air itself, faces serious. “Take these two to see Yoongi. Find out what else the Commander told them to do. I’ve got Shownu from here.” 

Silently, the pair nodded and closed in on the other hunters. There was no fight or struggle, Shownu watching the strange scene play out like a dream. Maybe he was still sleeping and this was some kind of terrible nightmare again. Vampires working within the system. Vampires taking commands from their human captain and hauling two hunters away like it was nothing. Shownu had never seen anything like it before.

He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, matching the rapid beat of his heart. Stories existed of hunters being dragged away and never heard from again. Shownu had always thought them to be stupid rumors until now. Was that what had almost happened? 

“Glad I got here in time,” Namjoon was saying to him. Shownu blinked away the confusion, or at least attempted to. “We heard what was happening and I was hoping to catch them before they got to you at all.” 

Shownu had no idea what Namjoon was saying. He could hear the words but not process them. A ringing formed in his ears, eyes unfocused and trying to clear. One second he had been asleep and the next he had been dragged out and then stopped. Something was happening, Namjoon’s lips were still moving, but now Shownu couldn’t even hear anything. 

The spike of fear and adrenaline was crashing down hard. Shownu had been in a panic, exhausted, and now his head was starting to pound. Pain flared at his temples and he squeezed his eyes shut. The ringing in his ears drowned out everything as he slumped back to the ground with a heavy thud. 

\--

Shownu woke briefly to a soft pillow, blankets tucked around him, and one arm sticking out. He shifted it and felt a tug, realizing there was an I.V. secured to his arm, pumping fluids into his veins. The room was warm and cozy, somewhere in the medbay, if he could remember correctly. 

“Hi there,” a high voice said to his right. Shownu turned his head slowly, still dazed. Sleep tugged at his eyes, wanting to pull him back down into the darkness of exhaustion. “You’re safe, okay? This is Jimin,” the voice said. 

Jimin’s face came into view as Shownu worked to focus. 

“You were pretty dehydrated. And exhausted. We think you passed out due to a blood pressure drop and potential panic attack,” Jimin explained slowly. Shownu understood the words that time. “For now, keep resting. Joonie has the team working hard and we’re really close to finding your friends.” 

“Joonie?” Speaking felt like sandpaper tearing down his esophagus. 

“Ah, sorry. Namjoon,” Jimin laughed lightly. He moved out of sight and returned with a cup of ice water and a straw. “Try to drink this,” he prodded at Shownu’s lips with the straw, who was grateful for relief to his throat. 

“Where?” Shownu closed his eyes and opened them again. When was the last time he rested uninterrupted? Or rested well, for that matter? 

“You’re in a private recovery room on base. Namjoon pulled a lot of strings. But we can explain more when you’re awake and feeling better,” Jimin explained. Shownu, in his tiredness and comfort of the bed, just nodded. 

His eyes slipped shut and that was it. 

\--

Hyungwon had been able to reach the man he wanted, though he was told he would have to wait until later to actually talk. He had called at the start of prime business hours. When Kihyun had tried to argue that they couldn’t sit around and wait, Hyungwon said that was exactly what they were going to do. 

“Where are we going, exactly?” Jooheon asked. He had gone to sit with Hyungwon at the base of a tree. Their car was hidden enough from view, away from main roads and in a less populated area. With his head resting on Hyungwon’s shoulder, he watched as Kihyun sat on the hood of the car, and Changkyun sat on the ground by the door. Neither of them were speaking. 

“Club BamBam,” Hyungwon said simply. “It’s a long shot, but I thought Jackson might help. Maybe have some ideas,” He closed his eyes, tipping his head back against the tree. 

Jooheon hadn’t set foot in that particular club for a while now. Sure, he had gone there before he was turned and none the wiser to any vampire activities going on. Minhyuk had been the one to insist on going there to see Hyungwon one night at work. Minhyuk always carried on about how good of a D.J. Hyungwon was. Jooheon was inclined to agree. 

“Do you think they’ll help us get Min back?” Jooheon asked in a small voice. Hyungwon made a noise as he thought about it. As if to soothe Jooheon more, he started to pet the younger vampire’s hair and scratch along his scalp. Jooheon closed his eyes. 

“I think getting Minhyuk back is beyond their control,” Hyungwon wanted to be honest with Jooheon. He was never good at covering anything up, anyway. “But we’re getting him back no matter what. I’ll make sure of it.” 

“I know you will,” Jooheon kept his voice just as quiet. The pair lapsed into silence as they waited.

Hours passed, late evening becoming the early hours of morning once again. The group as a whole was exhausted and worn down, but it was clear Kihyun was struggling to keep up. This long without any sleep or anything to eat made it hard for the single human to stay sharp. 

Relief finally came in the form of a black car rolling up to their impromptu camping spot. Jackson had mentioned over the phone that they had the location pinged, thanks to the burner phone. 

Kihyun was instantly on alert, afraid of who it could be. The car was luxury, which likely meant it wasn’t a hunter coming for them. Hyungwon had only snorted at Kihyun’s alarm and shook his head. 

“It’s Jinyoung. Jackson has a taste for fancy cars,” he waved at the Genesis logo. Instead of saying more, Hyungwon simply went to the driver’s side window and waited for it to roll down. The tinted glass rolled down slowly, a man with a handsome face and eyes obstructed by sunglasses, appeared to be staring at them. 

“Get in,” Jinyoung nodded towards the backseat. “Is the other car yours?” 

Hyungwon glanced at the one they had been driving before shaking his head. “No.” 

“Then don’t worry about it,” Jinyoung turned to stare ahead again, waiting for the others to climb into the car. Hyungwon joined Jinyoung in the front seat while the rest squished into the back. Kihyun had tried to ask questions, wanting to know who Jinyoung or where they were going. But Hyungwon silenced him for the time being. More would be answered back at the club. 

\--

Jinyoung had explained that Jackson sent him to retrieve the group. The ride to the club was silent, the tension clear as they went. As it turned out, they had managed to really find a far out spot from the center of the city, so the drive back was longer than expected. 

Hyungwon kept a watchful eye over the little group, glancing at Jooheon now and then. He seemed to be holding up better than he had before and Hyungwon had to hope that wasn’t about to be dashed. Jooheon was clearly hoping that Jackson could do something in terms of getting Minhyuk and Wonho out of captivity. Even if that were their main goal right now, that was a far stretch. Hyungwon knew how Jackson worked- how the whole club worked. And no one would be dumb enough to attempt a rescue mission like that. 

His thoughts were interrupted when they finally made it to the back entrance of the club. Jinyoung parked in an underground garage, hidden away from view. It was easy to assume it was for personal cars and where they could come and go without making a scene (if they happened to need such an option). 

“This way,” Jinyoung waved his hand for the group to follow him. Changkyun looked stiff, walking a little slower than the rest and eyes darting around each room they passed. He wasn’t taking in the decor or the way the club was set up. It looked like he was expecting a trap. 

When none came, the youngest vampire relaxed just a bit. Jooheon even smiled at him, trying to give him a small reassurance that they were okay. They met in Jackson’s office, the vampire already waiting for them there. Jinyoung quickly took his place beside Jackson, hands folded neatly behind his back and eyes on the group. 

“So I know just a bit of what’s going on,” Jackson started. “Fill me in, please,” He motioned to the chairs set around for them. While some were hesitant, Hyungwon sat down quickly enough. 

“Long story short, we need a place to hide. These two, Changkyun,” he pointed to each respectively. “And Kihyun. They’re ex-hunters and the organization is after them. To put it simply.” 

Jackson was already frowning, brows furrowed together. It wasn’t an angry look on his face, but one of concern. “So, are you a new vampire then?” He looked to Changkyun. All he got was a nod in response. 

“That’s what started all of this,” Hyungwon quickly explained. “They were attacked and he was turned. They fled to another ex-hunter for help, who brought them to me. We wanted to help them and keep them safe but--” Hyungwon paused and closed his eyes. Talking about it now hurt more than before. 

“But we were found out. Our home was raided, they took Minhyuk,” Hyungwon’s voice was even, but no one seemed to notice the way his hands were clenching into tight fists. Jooheon made a little sound of worry, moving closer to squeeze Hyungwon’s shoulder. “And our friend Wonho, and we don’t know where they are. Or that they’re-” 

“I understand,” Jackson nodded solemnly. “And I’m so sorry that happened to any of you,” his words were filled with sympathy. He meant each one of them. 

“I...we’re not asking for a rescue mission for them,” Hyungwon continued to explain. He needed to make sure Jackson understood that part. “That’s- it’s too insane to think that we could pull that off. So, please don’t think I’d ask that of you.” 

“I do appreciate the clarification, but I had a feeling you weren’t going to ask for such a thing anyway,” Jackson pointed out. He was good at reading intentions, as it had been part of why he was one of the bosses of the club. 

“We have nowhere to go. All of us are targets now, and we have...nothing,” Hyungwon sighed. “Kihyun and Changkyun are even bigger risks than Jooheon and I,” He looked at Jackson, eyes pleading. “We don’t know where to, or how to keep safe.” 

Jackson had his arms folded on top of his desk. Jinyoung stood silent and unmoving beside the older vampire. The silence that filled the room was stifling, enough to almost make your ears start ringing. 

“I can’t help you,” Jackson finally said. Suddenly, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. “I’m really sorry, Hyungwon, but I can’t. I can’t risk the club and my family like that.” 

“But-” Hyungwon started. “We have  _ nothing _ else-” 

“I know, I understand, believe me I do,” Jackson looked pained almost. “But I stand firm with my rules. And that is we are never going to take a side between vampires and humans, especially the organization. I can’t make any exceptions.” 

“That’s bullshit!” Kihyun was the first to snap. He was still the only human in a room full of vampires, exhausted, and tired of everything running out. “You’re telling us that there’s no way to stay safe? Because you don’t want to risk your neck?” 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Jackson’s tone shifted. “This club, and the people I care about, have made it this long because we stay out of things. We conduct our own business and keep everyone else out.” 

“You asshole-” Kihyun took a step towards the desk, intending to get in Jackson’s face. He froze a second later when there was a different face in front of him. All at once, Jinyoung was there, a blade drawn and a few centimetres away from Kihyun’s throat. The human’s breathing slowed, eyes never faltering from the intense stare Jinyoung was giving him. 

“Stand down, Jinyoung,” Jackson sighed. “He’s not a threat.” 

Just like that, Jinyoung was backing away, sheathing his blade and returning to his spot beside Jackson. Kihyun took a shaking step back and felt a hand brush against his own. It was Changkyun’s. 

“I’ve already let Namjoon do some poking around here, and that’s as far as I can go. I can guess, though,” Jackson glanced between Kihyun and Changkyun. “You two are probably part of why he was here. So, I am sorry to say, that’s as far as I can allow. I can’t harbor you here, or provide any kind of cover.” 

“I thought, maybe as an employee-” Hyungwon started, searching for anything that might win Jackson over. 

“Even employees don’t get full special treatment. Keeping you here, knowing the circumstances- it’d be like declaring war on Organization X. If I give you a place to go, and it can be traced back to me, it’s just as bad,” Jackson shook his head. He looked deeply saddened to be saying such things, but also incredibly set in his ways. “I can’t help you. I’m sorry.”

Hyungwon was silent for a long moment, staring at Jackson, searching his face to try and find a weak spot. But there was nothing. The other vampire was firm in his decision, though not without care. Swallowing down the grief he refused to feel, Hyungwon just nodded. 

“I understand. Thank you for seeing us,” he stood and bowed his head, before turning towards the others. “We should keep moving while it’s still dark enough.” 

“I wish you all the best,” Jackson said to the group. Nothing but downcast stares and shrugged shoulders were exchanged. Jinyoung moved from his spot beside Jackson. 

“I’ll see them out,” Jinyoung spoke softly. Jackson didn’t stop him. 

Soon enough, the ragtag group was back in the parking garage. Jooheon was still sniffling and rubbing at his eyes, doing his best to remain strong but his emotions still got the better of him. Changkyun had become even more of a living statue, cold and detached from everything around him. 

They all piled back into the same sleek black car, Jinyoung driving off without speaking a word. Hyungwon stopped paying attention to where they were going until they had stopped. Somewhere downtown, dark alleys and buildings surrounding them. Most of the world was still asleep at this hour. Just as Hyungwon went to step out and leave with the others, he felt a tug on his sleeve. 

Jinyoung kept a grip on Hyungwon, pulling him back in. 

“What?” Hyungwon asked, wary of the other younger vampire. 

“I can tell you something,” Jinyoung offered. “But this comes only from me, and no one else. Not the club, not Jackson. He doesn’t know I’m doing this.” 

“O...kay?” Hyungwon gave him an incredulous stare. “What is it?” 

“I know where you can be safe and get some help. Maybe even find a way to get your friends back,” he released his hold on Hyungwon’s shirt, grabbing a pen and paper from the dashboard box. Jinyoung scribbled for a moment before handing the slip of paper back to the other. “Go to the place marked. Ask for the guardian.” 

“The guardian?” Hyungwon echoed. Jinyoung shook his head. 

“I can’t explain it all, that’d take too long. You have a few hours of darkness left. You can use my name if you absolutely have to, but do not use Jackson’s. Don’t mention the club. Understood?” 

“Yeah, yeah, I...I can do that,” Hyungwon nodded. He was dumbfounded for a moment. “Why the sudden shift in helping us?” 

“I have a few tricks of my own. But none of them are tied to the club or anyone that works there. Just me. Keep it that way, yeah?” Jinyoung offered a smile, and it was the first time Hyungwon thought he had ever seen the man do it. 

“Promise,” he held out his hand. Jinyoung took it, the two shaking firmly. “Thank you.” 

“Glad to offer something. Now go,” he pulled back and slipped sunglasses on once again. Even in the dark. Hyungwon stepped from the car, carefully clutching the piece of paper. He had no idea where the place was or who a guardian might be, but it was something. 

“What was all that about?” Jooheon asked as they watched Jinyoung disappear into the distance again. 

“He gave us an address to a safe house. I think we can figure out a plan once we get there,” Hyungwon unfolded the paper and looked at the address scribbled on it. A few directions were included, but nothing in detail. 

“Can I see it?” Kihyun asked, leaning over and rising on his tiptoes. Hyungwon turned the paper towards him. The human read the note over and over, scrunching his chin up like he did when he made a sour face. 

“I know that area well enough,” Kihyun pointed out. “But there’s nothing there. Nothing that could be used as a safe house,” he folded his arms over his chest. “It’s a mostly quiet part of the city. Abandoned and falling apart.” 

“Might be a perfect spot for a safe house,” Changkyun muttered. 

“Let’s go find it, then,” Jooheon hooked his arm together with Hyungwon’s arm and started to walk. Kihyun glanced at Changkyun for a moment before taking his hand and squeezing it tight, pulling him along. 

Kihyun had to smile when Changkyun squeezed back. 

\--

Wonho could see Minhyuk through the glass panel of his cell. The vampire was still on a metal table, a muzzle tied over his face for the time being, hands and feet strapped down. He hadn’t stopped staring at the vampire for hours now, even if he had no real way of keeping time. Wonho had been stripped of any of his own possessions, left only in a black tee-shirt and jeans. The chill of the concrete flooring bit at his bare feet. 

A voice crackled over an intercom he couldn’t see. 

“If you want to give up the fugitives, we can release you,” it was none other than Commander Kim Shi Dae. Wonho felt queasy, like his skin was crawling just listening to him. “Tell us where they are.” 

“Fuck off,” Wonho hissed back. He didn’t know if they could actually hear him or not. “You think I don’t know what you do to vampires down here? Or to humans?” He lifted his head, looked around for a camera, or mic, or anything to give them away. When he finally landed on a black sphere hidden in the shadows, he stormed over to it and got as close as he could. 

“You won’t free either of us if I give you information, so stop offering.” 

“As you wish,” The Commander’s voice calmly replied. So they could hear him. Wonho felt his gut twist, like something was wrong with those words. Another sound quickly alerted him to someone entering Minhyuk’s cell. Wonho rushed to the glass panel, hands pressing up against them. 

There was muttering between two people that had entered the cell. They were dressed in medical garb, much like doctors with covered faces and pull protective gear and scrubs. One held a tray of something he couldn’t see, and the other a chart that was scribbled on from time to time. Wonho’s heart was racing as he watched, breath fogging up the glass. 

“Maybe this will persuade you,” The commander’s voice crackled to life once again. 

One of the men in the room lifted a syringe from the tray, holding it up to the light, before finding a vein in Minhyuk’s arm. The vampire squirmed weakly and Wonho could even make out the groan as he pulled at his restraints. 

“No,” Wonho hit the glass. “No, leave him alone! Stop!” he pounded on the glass but went unheard. Eyes widened as he watched in horror, as Minhyuk was given a shot of whatever it could be. A test subject.

Wonho continued to shout and beg, ramming his shoulder into the heavy glass in an attempt to break it. Minhyuk had gone still for a moment before a terrible scream ripped from his throat. The vampire thrashed on the table, held in place only by the restraints. Machines beeped at different rates, though they were drowned out by Minhyuk’s howls of pain. Wonho cried as he hit the glass over and over, until his knuckles were busted and bloody. Minhyuk was a test subject now, and Wonho had a front row seat to the torture. 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who could the guardian be? what could be happening to Minhyuk? Only time will tell! Feel free to yell at me about being mean uwu


	11. i don't need nobody else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally have someone on their side. And maybe, just maybe, enough hope to keep going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This chapter is a little longer than normal because of a special scene at the end |D A heads up now, it's smut! Not terribly in depth or super explicit, because I probably panicked too much while writing it. So I hope it's okay! Something happy and sweet before another shit storm hits! The updated tags probably give away who the guardian is lol

At some point, it had started to rain. Slowly, at first, just a drizzle and enough to be annoying; it steadily mounted into a heavy rain, quickly soaking the small group as they darted through dark streets and alleys. They tromped through puddles that reflected the street lights on slick blacktop. No one had spoken since they set out to find the location scribbled on a piece of scrap paper. Hyungwon was just thankful that it was in pencil, still legible despite being soaked. 

“We should be getting close,” Kihyun finally spoke up. Hyungwon glanced at the paper before searching for street signs. It took another two blocks before the signs matched the directions. Kihyun had been right about the state of that section of the city earlier. Mostly empty, run down buildings dotting the streets. Even more street lights were burned out than not. 

It wasn’t quite like the warehouse district Kihyun and Changkyun had been in before. This was a place people just stopped living in. Through lack of funding, proper housing, or whatever reason it was, the small collections of blocks was essentially a ghost town. 

“Here,” Hyungwon glanced up at a sign that was half hanging off of an old apartment complex. No lights were visible from the street, which did nothing to make him feel any better. Focusing on the note again, he read the last line again. 

_ 4th floor, apt. 8 _

“How do we know this is good information?” Kihyun piped up again. 

“I’ve known Jinyoung for a few years now. He wouldn’t lie about something like this, or set us up,” Hyungwon explained. Jooheon agreed (even if he didn’t know Jinyoung nearly as well). 

“It gives us a place to get out of the rain, who cares,” Changkyun shoved his hair out of his face. That was true enough, so into the building they went. 

The heavy door creaked as it shut behind them, the building’s key card entrance broken and leaving the door unlocked. Hyungwon glanced around, having no trouble seeing in the dark. He realized Kihyun was the only one that would struggle at all and even then he had been trained to work in such conditions. Rain pitter-pattered against the windows and roof, echoing through the empty and graffiti marked walls. 

“Who were we supposed to ask for again?” Jooheon asked, his eyes focused on a piece of graffiti further away. Hyungwon blinked and followed Jooheon’s line of sight, before he saw what it was. 

“Territory of the Guardian,” Hyungwon read. “To the fourth floor, then.” 

Changkyun grumbled something about the graffiti being stupid, to which Kihyun just shushed him. Hyungwon wasn’t really listening as he headed for the stairs. Jooheon stuck close behind Hyungwon, the elder vampire aware that the younger would likely be clinging to him if possible. For now, he stayed close and Hyungwon stayed as aware as possible. Nothing but the sound of rain and their footsteps up the stairs surrounded them. 

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Hyungwon held his hand out, halting the other three. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a single lamp sitting in the middle of the hallway. It cast a faint yellow glow over the old carpet and worn walls. It was the first sign of life they had seen. With nothing else around, Hyungwon continued forward, the others close behind. 

They wandered down the hall until finally reaching apartment eight. Not knowing what to expect, Hyungwon stood outside the door and waited for a moment. There was no sound of movement or anyone on the other side. 

“Hyungwon?” Jooheon whispered. The elder vampire shook his head to clear it and raised a hand to knock. No use in waiting now. 

Silence followed the knock. Hyungwon could hear Kihyun’s heart thumping harder, despite how calm his face was. Changkyun must have picked up on the sound as well, given how he inched himself closer to Kihyun. 

All at once, the door swung open. They were greeted with a handsome face with a sharp jaw, dark hair swept back into a little top knot, and shining golden eyes. Hyungwon’s mouth hung open as he tried to comprehend that someone had actually appeared. This person, a vampire, Hyungwon noted, only opened the door enough to look out at them. 

“What are you here for?” 

“I-” Hyungwon was not very easily confused or baffled into silence. Hyungwon’s ability was reading emotions and sometimes manipulating them- as he had done with Changkyun when they first met. He was quiet most of the time, yes, but this was different. He had to snap himself back into reality to remember what they were even doing there. “We’re looking for the guardian.” 

Golden eyes squinted as they looked over Hyungwon, moving to Jooheon next, and then the pair behind him. A playful smirk appeared after a moment, before the man that answered the door disappeared back into the apartment. It was then that the apartment came to life with soft sounds and shuffling. 

The door opened again and someone completely different was standing there. The same golden eyes, but fluffy white hair, big ears, and a cute pout. Hyungwon stared. 

“How did you find this place?” the newcomer asked. Hyungwon knew he was only supposed to use Jinyoung’s name if he had to, though he was left with little choice of how to explain. 

“Jinyoung,” he spoke quickly before he could think otherwise. The other vampire seemed to brighten up and opened the door further. 

“Must be important, then,” he smiled and stood aside, motioning for them to enter. Clearly not the only one baffled by all of this, the newcomer just kept talking. “My name is Baekhyun. Kai said we had visitors but didn’t bother to ask you anything. He gets excited when other vampires come here.” 

“Are...are you the guardian?” Jooheon asked. Baekhyun laughed and shook his head. 

“Hardly. But he’s in here,” Baekhyun hummed and turned on his heels, leaving the door standing wide open. “Suho!” he called into the apartment. It dawned on Hyungwon that “guardian” was just his name.  _ Suho.  _

“I’m coming,” a voice responded from somewhere further in. Hyungwon took a tentative step forward, Jooheon following quickly and staying half hidden behind the elder vampire’s shoulder. Changkyun had put himself in front of Kihyun completely. 

The apartment was...nice. It looked new, compared to how the building appeared. Up to date appliances, electricity, everything. Polished wooden floors with decorative rugs, a living room with a large table surrounded by cushions and a couch with entirely too many pillows. It was lived in and comfortably so. It was hard to tell from the first room just how far back the rest of the apartment went, but given that at least three people were there, it was clearly larger than it appeared. 

Again, another person appeared. He was the same height as Hyungwon, tall and lanky with ears that poked out. When the group only looked at him, he was quick to put his hands up. 

“Not Suho. I’m Chanyeol.” 

“How many of you live here?” Hyungwon asked upon seeing the same eyes again. Each vampire they had seen so far had the same eyes, which usually meant they were all part of the same family. Chanyeol moved to the couch and flopped down and started to fiddle with his phone. 

“Nine,” he answered. “Not everyone is here. Some of them are at work,” He looked up from the screen and seemed to examine the four of them. “You have a human with you?” 

“Yes,” Hyungwon spoke before Kihyun could. Work, Hyungwon decided, was likely not what it sounded like. “We are in need of help and we were sent here.” 

“Then you’ve come to the right place,” Chanyeol smiled brightly before turning back to his phone again. Finally, the person they were looking for came to the living room. He was shorter than the others but smiling sweetly at them. 

“Sorry for the wait,” The Guardian, Hyungwon guessed, said as he approached. “And the confusion. I know we don’t look like a normal place. I’m Suho and you’ve met a few of the others already. Before you ask any questions, could I have your names?” 

“It’s fine,” Hyungwon waved his hand. “Hyungwon,” He pointed to himself. Jooheon spoke up on his own. When neither of the other two spoke up, Hyungwon only sighed. “Changkyun and Kihyun,” he pointed to them as well. 

“Thank you,” Suho bowed his head. “Come on, have a seat and you can get dried off,” Suho snapped his fingers. No sooner had he done that, did Kai appear with blankets and towels, passing them out to their visitors. “Tell me what you need help with. Do any of you need any food?” Food, Hyungwon realized, could have meant real food for blood. Suho didn’t specify. Vampires could consume food as much as they wanted, even if it held no real benefits for them. “Or anything else?” Suho added on. “You’re all safe here, feel free to ask any questions if you’d like.” 

So, Hyungwon sat at the living room table, stunned and wrapped in a blanket. Another man named Xiumin appeared at one point, digging out clothes for all of them to change into. Xiumin reassured the others they had plenty of spare clothes for moments like this. Kihyun was offered food, the others were given blood cleverly “disguised” as drinks. Jooheon even had a straw with his drink, which any other time, Hyungwon would have laughed at. 

As the group settled, Suho filled the silence by explaining what he and his family were doing there. “My team and I, we all used to be hunters, too,” Suho explained. Hyungwon’s eyes shot up at that, the group looking equally surprised. “Good guess on my part, hm?” Suho grinned at their reactions. “It was a while back for us. To save you the whole story, I was turned first, after an accident,” he chuckled at that. 

“None of us wanted to go without him and we knew what X would do to a turned hunter,” Chanyeol, who had apparently been listening in the whole time, said from the couch. “So we all agreed to be turned. We’re family, no matter what.” 

“It wasn’t instantaneous,” Xiumin joined in. It seemed that when one person spoke in this family, the others were sure to follow. “We had to make sure Suho survived. You see,” Xiumin paused and noted the look Suho was giving him. “The accident was a hunt gone bad. A common occurrence, right?” 

Hyungwon could feel the waves of anxiety come rolling off of Kihyun and Changkyun alike. His eyes refocused on Xiumin as he continued once again.

“There was another vampire there who wasn’t the target. Turns out we saved them from the one we were after, even if that bastard got away. We were more concerned with keeping Suho alive than chasing after the target,” Xiumin sighed softly. “The vampire we saved agreed to turn him and help us out.” 

“Boss man tries to make it short, and Xiu-xiu has to give the details,” Chanyeol snorted from the couch. 

“Shut up,” Xiumin pouted. 

“Children,” Suho warned, even though he was smiling. 

“How did you avoid the organization coming after you?” Kihyun asked with a touch of urgency. Even if Suho didn’t know it yet, his situation was too close to Kihyun and Changkyun. 

“We changed our names and faked our deaths. While I was out, the others apparently discussed what they wanted to do. No one wanted to go back to X, because being together was more important. And then we never looked back,” Suho picked up a mug and sipped at it. 

“You just...stayed together?” Changkyun asked. Hyungwon gleaned something there, but he couldn’t make out what. There was Changkyun’s usual sadness, that deep sort of despair he had come to associate with the boy since they met. But something else was mixed in, though Hyungwon wasn’t given the time to focus on it much before the conversation continued. 

“What can I say?” Suho gave a sweet smile. “Family is everything. I’d rather be a vampire with all of them than without them.” 

“How long ago?” Changkyun followed up. 

“A while ago,” Suho thought. “Probably before you were born.” 

“Seventy-five years to be exact,” Chanyeol clarified without looking at them. 

Seventy-five years meant that this group made that decision before Commander Kim was even in power. Even then, a hunter would have been executed for being turned. Kim just happened to run the place with an iron fist. Kihyun was milling over the information in his mind, distracted as the conversation continued on. 

“We took time to adjust and figure out life. It wasn’t always pleasant, I won’t lie, but it worked. We started making connections, because I’m in charge of all these idiots-”

“Hey!” Chanyeol threw a pillow that Suho easily caught without looking. 

“But we met the right people, I guess you could say. Once we figured out we could provide help to others like us, we started to set up shop here. A safe space for us to live in, and a way to help vampires that needed it. Humans too,” Suho looked at Kihyun. Hyungwon had to guess that humans were not nearly as common for them. “Think of us as the last stop before the real underground.” 

The vampire underground was not a place Hyungwon ever wanted to frequent again. He had before, when he was young and new and nowhere else to go. Then he met Minhyuk and neither of them went back again. 

“Does that mean you can help us?” Hyungwon asked instead. 

“It does,” Suho nodded. “If you can explain to me what’s going on, we’ll do all we can to help.” 

Changkyun didn’t like to speak of it. Kihyun looked tired of repeating it. Hyungwon cleared his throat and decided to do it for them. Starting with how the pair had been sent on a hunt, Changkyun being turned, to Wonho bringing them to Hyungwon’s home. Even, as much as it hurt to say: how Wonho and Minhyuk had been captured and now they were on the run with nothing to go on. 

“You’re sure they were captured?” Suho asked. It was an understandable question. Hyungwon nodded. 

“I don’t know where they were taken, but I can feel them. They’re still alive,” He didn’t go into detail though Suho seemed to understand. “We want to find them-” 

“You want your family back. And a way to stay safe,” Suho finished. Hyungwon nodded. 

“I know how eager you must be to get to your friends,” Suho pinched the bridge of his nose. “But I need to get some things in order. This will be a big job, but don’t give up yet. For now, Kai will lead you to some guest rooms, if you’d like to rest. The sun will be up soon. I’ll work on getting information and a plan ready.”

“Is there anything else you need from us?” Hyungwon didn’t stand just yet. 

“If I think of anything else, I’ll let you know,” Suho reached over and pat Hyungwon on the shoulder. 

“One of our specialties is throwing a wrench in X’s plans anymore,” Chanyeol bragged. “We’ll figure out things in no time.” 

Hyungwon wanted to believe that. He could feel the same desperate hope from the others, too. 

\--

As it turned out, the complex had several large and functioning apartments. It looked like some parts had been remodeled, likely to accommodate Suho and his family, and anyone else that knew how to find them. Kai was friendly, despite no one really talking to him in return. The vampire didn’t mind, showing them each to rooms. One for Hyungwon and Jooheon, and one for Changkyun and Kihyun, as requested. 

Xiumin appeared briefly to give them more clothes and made sure their pillows and blankets were good enough. Hyungwon felt like they were in some kind of hotel with room service included. Changing into soft sweats and an old tee-shirt, Hyungwon sat on the bed, Jooheon almost instantly curling up beside him. 

“You don’t have to feel so scared, Honey,” Hyungwon whispered as he pet Jooheon’s hair. 

“Don’t read my feelings,” He pouted at the elder but Hyungwon only let out a small chuckle. 

“I can read a lot of people’s feelings. But I made you, so I can really pick up on them,” Hyungwon watched as Jooheon’s mismatched eyes turned up at him. 

“Can you pick up on Minhyuk?” the hand in Jooheon’s hair stilled. 

“Yes,” Hyungwon’s answer was strained. “Just a little. We’ll get to him soon,” he was forcing the words out to make himself believe it as well. Hyungwon could still feel Minhyuk, even Wonho to a lesser degree, but none of it was good. They were alive, but- Hyungwon couldn’t tell Jooheon what he really felt. He couldn’t verbalize the pain that bloomed in his chest when he reached out to try and find Minhyuk. When the silence had gone on too long, Jooheon pulled Hyungwon down and curled up around him. The elder vampire needed contact and support and Jooheon was there to provide. 

Hyungwon, finally having a moment in a quiet room with the one person left he really trusted, cried quietly. 

\--

Changkyun entered their room first, barely speaking a word even when they were alone. Kihyun was almost used to the silence at this point. Changkyun had never been a huge chatterbox, but now he was quieter than ever. Deciding to take a moment to change out of damp clothes, Kihyun shucked his shirt off and hung it out to dry on the back of a chair. 

“I don’t know how they managed to keep this place looking so empty. These apartments are better than the one we had,” Kihyun snorted, shivering as damp skin met cool air. 

“Guess it’s all those connections,” Changkyun muttered. His eyes didn’t meet Kihyun’s, even as he started to undress as well. 

“Kyun?” Kihyun started closer to Changkyun, reaching out to touch his arm. “Talk to me. Please?” 

“Not much to say,” Changkyun shrugged Kihyun’s touch away. “Same shit different day at this rate.” 

“We’re trying, Changkyun. You’re not going to give yourself up, and we’re going to find a way to get Wonho and Minhyuk. Who knows, maybe Suho will let us live around here. Seems like vampires are pretty safe,” Kihyun was trying to keep from losing his cool. 

“Is that really enough?” Changkyun suddenly turned to Kihyun. “We’ve been on the run for who knows how long now, and...and this is all we’ve done. There is no life for us like they have here, Ki. There never will be.” 

“Don’t say that,” Kihyun grit his teeth as he spoke. “You don’t know that.” 

“You don’t, either! You’ve had this weird optimism since shit went down. We were hunters, we  _ killed  _ vampires. But now you’re suddenly okay and want me? Want to pick up some weird illusion of a domestic life here doing what? Never leaving the building?” 

“Shut up, Changkyun,” Kihyun hissed. “I told you I’m not leaving you-” 

“I know that, but why! Why are you suddenly okay with vampires!” Changkyun’s voice rose. “It doesn’t make any sense. None of this does, nothing has for weeks now, and I feel like I want to rip my own skin off,” Changkyun spoke in a string of words, almost too fast for Kihyun to catch. 

“I adapted to the situation, that’s all,” Kihyun tried. 

“Don’t give me the textbook answer. All the answers we’ve been given have been drilled into our heads for years, and now all of that is turned upside down and you’re just  _ fine  _ with it? You’ve  _ adapted? _ ” Changkyun used air quotes around the words. Kihyun started to glare harder at the other. 

“Yes, I’ve adapted. I’ve adapted and changed to make sure you’re safe. That we still have a fighting chance for a future together,” Kihyun almost snarled, but it felt like his heart was breaking in his chest. “Did you not hear what the others were saying out there? They stayed together no matter what!” 

“What future?” Changkyun finally shouted. “I won’t die of old age, Ki. I won’t get sick and grow old, I’ll be stuck...stuck like this for-fucking-ever and eventually, you’ll die.” 

“Listen to me,” Kihyun marched right up to Changkyun. He was never afraid of getting in his face, of speaking his mind. “We lived in a bubble. It was safe and we followed what we knew. But that’s all been thrown out the fucking window, and I keep trying to adapt to it. I care about you, Changkyun, as you are, more than a vampire or human,” He poured as much emotion as he could into each word. “I need to know that you still care, too. That you’re still in this.” 

“You’re a goddamn idiot,” Changkyun growled. 

“So are you, brat,” Kihyun returned. “This self sacrificing bullshit you tried to pull- the whole turn yourself in, don’t you dare ever say that again, got it?” 

“But I’m right-” 

“Shut! Up!” Kihyun grabbed Changkyun by the shoulders. “Our bubble is gone, and so is the way of life we knew. We adapt, we keep going, we  _ stay together. _ ” He went quiet for a moment, eyes searching Changkyun’s face. “We should have talked about this more before,” he admitted. Kihyun hadn’t wanted to say anything about what was going on in his own mind, too focused on helping Changkyun adjust. 

“You’re still not facing the problems,” Changkyun narrowed his eyes, but Kihyun could see the shine of tears starting. 

“Neither of us are. We’re facing what we can right now,” Kihyun reached a hand up to cup Changkyun’s face. “Right now, at this moment, we have each other. Didn’t we agree that was always enough for us? There’s so much shit wrong right now and we can do this together. All the other problems in the future? Let’s cross that bridge when we get there.” 

“I can’t, I keep thinking of everything going wrong,” the growl faded from Changkyun’s voice. 

“Do what you’ve been doing to stop thinking,” Kihyun held Changkyun’s face. “Focus on me and only me. I’m yours, Changkyun, and I haven’t reminded you enough of that.” 

“I don’t-” 

“You won’t hurt me. You never do,” Kihyun ran the pad of his thumb over a high cheekbone. “I’ll tell you that as many times as you need to hear it. And I’ll keep asking you to stay with me, because I want you to.” 

Changkyun blinked back a few tears, watching Kihyun with red eyes. Kihyun missed the soft brown they had been, but had grown used to the red. They were still deep, filled with emotion he couldn’t always read. Changkyun had always liked to play up the whole mysterious lone wolf thing, to which Kihyun found somehow annoying at first and then absolutely endearing. 

“I’m right here. All we have right now is in this room,” Kihyun said when Changkyun still didn’t speak up. “Nothing outside this room matters for the time being. Just you and me.” 

“I hate that you’re so stubborn,” Changkyun mumbled, turning his head away from Kihyun. 

“I am  _ very  _ stubborn. Especially when it comes to loving a blockhead like you,” Kihyun shoved Changkyun’s shoulder. “We can have a whole life together, Kyunnie. I promise you that.” Was he implying that he was willing to be turned for Changkyun? Maybe. Kihyun wasn’t entirely sure he wanted that sometimes, but he did want Changkyun. Always Changkyun.

“So, what, you’ll be a vampire too? You’re that comfortable with it?” There was that biting anger again. It flared to life before everything had happened- not frequently and never really harmful. Just the anger that came from not knowing what to do. When Changkyun was backed into a metaphorical corner, he snapped easier. The careful aloofness he created around himself was gone. 

“Maybe I am.” 

“I can hear your heart, I know you’re lying,” Red eyes slid back to stare at him. Kihyun felt a shudder go down his spine with how intense the glow seemed to be. There were brief instances when Changkyun truly scared him. Just a flash of fear, of wondering if he would snap and that would be the end. 

But Kihyun worked hard to overcome that. That was his training, his upbringing. It was how he had been taught to handle vampires. If anything, the time they had spent with so many other vampires had only shown him how wrong everything was before. It would take more time, he was aware, for the biases to lessen and behaviors to change completely. To shove down that fear and never feel it again. 

“Don’t have anything to say?” Changkyun raised a brow. “You were all talk about how we can live, now? Nothing,” he scoffed. Kihyun remained silent, staring in disbelief. He thought they had been coming closer, not breaking into a fight. Still, Changkyun continued. 

“It’s all bullshit, Kihyun. We’ll keep running and that’s it. You can pretend there’s nothing wrong all you want, but you can’t say it-” 

“Choose your next words very, very carefully,” Kihyun warned. His heart was racing in his chest. He knew what this could be, what Changkyun was thinking. It was the same anxiety, the same fear that Changkyun carried that Kihyun hated him now. 

“Why?” Changkyun snorted. 

“Because we’ve been over this!” Kihyun moved in again, even as Changkyun attempted to dodge him. “If I didn’t want to be here anymore, I wouldn’t be!” Kihyun grabbed Changkyun’s arm before he could get too far. “I told you I’ll tell you as much as you need to hear it. I love you, and I am not leaving you, ever.” 

“The two of us have put too many other people in danger,” Changkyun pulled his arm back with alarming strength. Kihyun didn’t seem bothered as he reached again, ignoring Changkyun’s protests. They scuffled briefly. 

“And we’re doing our best to fix that! We all deserve a chance, don’t you understand? You and I still deserve one, and I can’t be the only one fighting for it!” Kihyun grit his teeth when Changkyun tried to swipe his feet out from under him in another attempt to get away. 

Kihyun was quick to sweep his leg behind Changkyun’s, using his arm to move across Changkyun’s chest. Lowering himself in a split second, Kihyun pushed back with his hips and forwards with his arm, throwing Changkyun to the ground. Changkyun grunted and Kihyun was quick to pin him, sitting on his hips and pushing Changkyun’s wrists down with all his might. 

“You think me being upset is anger directed at you,” Kihyun spoke. “It’s not. It’s not anger at you, it never was! I’m frustrated and scared just like you,” he put more pressure on when he felt Changkyun start to squirm. “I miss you.” 

“Miss me?” Changkyun blinked up at him. 

“Yes, you absolute idiot! You keep pulling away and I miss you!” 

It seemed to dawn on Changkyun then what Kihyun was talking about. He missed their time together, how close they had been. Kihyun had always, always been good at reading Changkyun. He longed for even a trace of normalcy between them, as navigating life now had been nothing but challenges. Throwing caution to the wind, Kihyun decided his actions would speak better than his words. 

He kissed Changkyun hard, hands still pinning the vampire’s wrists. Everything seemed to bubble over at that moment, the words left unspoken and both of their emotions raw. Kihyun needed the reassurance that Changkyun was still going, that they were in this together. Changkyun needed to know that he was never going to be abandoned. Perhaps Kihyun could have said more, but the words escaped him. 

Stunned at first, Changkyun returned the kiss with just as much heat. Now that Kihyun wasn’t focused on holding Changkyun down, the vampire easily broke his hold, sitting up while keeping Kihyun in his lap. Their teeth nearly clashed together, Kihyun feeling the sharpness of Changkyun’s fangs when they passed over his lower lip. 

Without meaning to, he hissed when his tongue was grazed and started to bleed. It had only stung a little and Kihyun had barely noticed the blood. Changkyun looked panicked for a brief moment, his shoulders tensing. 

“Don’t,” Kihyun pressed himself closer. “I trust you,” his breath ghosted along Changkyun’s lips. A low whine escaped the vampire. “Please don’t hide from me,” his words were desperate. 

The softness in Kihyun’s voice seemed to break something within Changkyun. The vampire wasn’t entirely sure he had much of a heartbeat anymore, or if it was just Kihyun’s fluttering so quickly in his chest; it was all he could hear for a moment. 

“Are you scared of hurting me?” Kihyun asked gently. Changkyun nodded. The vampire didn’t know the full limits of his strength yet. “I’ll be okay. I’ll tell you if it’s too much.” There was no nervousness in Kihyun’s heartbeat, just a desperate need to be close again. To be reminded that they loved each other and Changkyun was still there. 

In all his attempts to seal himself away, Changkyun had been hurting Kihyun- his fangs and physical strength had nothing to do with it. The new vampire ached, somewhere deep in his chest. In his own hurt and pain, he had been ignoring Kihyun and causing him more distress. 

With the words unspoken, Changkyun pulled Kihyun into another kiss. He swiped his tongue across Kihyun’s lips, getting that slight hint of blood that made him shudder. When Kihyun slipped his own tongue into Changkyun’s mouth (on purpose), the vampire sucked on it without even thinking. 

Changkyun was the one to move their position from the floor. He shifted easily, holding Kihyun’s weight as they stood, barely breaking contact. Kihyun, hungry for more, pushed until Changkyun’s back hit the wall. Whether Changkyun was still easy for him to move or the vampire was letting himself be navigated, Kihyun couldn’t be sure. But he was more than happy to feel Changkyun reciprocate the kiss. 

Kihyun’s fingers scraped up Changkyun’s torso as he pulled the damp shirt off of the other. There were no goosebumps on Changkyun’s skin- at least not from the chill or dampness. The fabric out of the way, Kihyun dove in to kiss Changkyun's jaw and let his hands trail down his stomach. There was little to be said between the two of them. Their touches spoke volumes of desperation and love at the same time. A yearning for the life they had before, where they could be happy without any fear trailing behind them. 

“Ki,” Changkyun’s voice finally reached Kihyun. “Want you,” he whined out, face surprisingly flushed. Any time Changkyun had whined like that before, Kihyun would have made him beg for more. But this time, Kihyun didn’t bother. For once, he was the more impatient one. 

“I’ve got you, babe,” Kihyun nosed against Changkyun’s jaw. He moved away from the wall, both struggling to keep their hands and lips off of each other. Miraculously, they managed to tumble into the bedroom, the rest of the world fading away. 

Kihyun could feel Changkyun let himself go. In that moment, they were only themselves, with no other problems to weigh down on their shoulders. Kihyun mouthed hot kisses down Changkyun’s neck to his chest, relishing in every sigh and sound that Changkyun let out. He could forget everything else for now. 

There was only a brief moment of pause, Kihyun slotting himself between Changkyun’s legs, breaking contact to look at the man laying on the bed. Changkyun eyes were half-lidded and filled with ardor, a slight flush to his cheeks. Kihyun didn’t know vampires could blush like that and only smiled when he noticed it. 

“Ki,” Changkyun grabbed for him, frustrated at the loss of contact and warmth. 

“Hush,” Kihyun traced his fingers over the cut of Changkyun’s hips. “I just need to find…” his voice trailed off as he glanced around the room. A brief search of a bedside table and drawers found lube. Kihyun counted himself lucky and didn’t question it for now. His thoughts were immediately distracted when Changkyun tugged him down into another heated kiss, one hand slipping between them to stroke Kihyun’s length. 

“Fuck-” Kihyun hissed, tensing up for a moment. There was a slight chill to Changkyun’s touch that made the sensation even better. It took all of his will power to remember what he was doing. “Kyunnie,” his voice shook as he stopped Changkyun, pulling his hand away. “Be patient.” 

Changkyun only groaned and let Kihyun lead once again, instead running his hands up Kihyun’s chest and dragging his nails back down, leaving thin red lines in their wake. Kihyun shuddered again, a breathy moan leaving his lips. 

He wasted no time in working Changkyun open one finger at a time, all the more determined to give Changkyun what he wanted. What they both wanted- needed, in that moment. Sweet nothings were muttered between them, caught between lips and teeth on skin. Changkyun’s arms wrapped around Kihyun’s shoulders as he dared to let his fangs graze along Kihyun’s neck. 

Even Kihyun was surprised at the contact, but Changkyun seemed too lost in the moment to really care. Kihyun could feel the trust Changkyun had in him- in how he was handled and loved. Changkyun had always enjoyed Kihyun’s ability to break him apart in their most intimate moments. Kihyun had always enjoyed wrapping Changkyun up in all of the love he could give.

Changkyun’s head tipped back and away from Kihyun when he felt the hunter start to press against him. The elder groaned lowly, eyes focused on Changkyun only- the way the new vampire turned his head into the pillow and gasped made Kihyun sweat. His hips stuttered, almost too fast. 

“Kyunnie,” Kihyun panted as he leaned in, sliding fully into the other. “Look at me, baby boy,” he kissed at the corner of Changkyun’s jaw, nipped at his ear. “Wanna see you,” he murmured then, voice barely above a soft whisper. 

Changkyun turned and met Kihyun’s eyes. A few seconds passed as they looked at each other, felt the trust and love that they had grown so used to in their time together. Kihyun could feel every inch of Changkyun, vampire senses or not. The new vampire still relied on him, still wanted him just as much. 

It was Changkyun who reached up to cup Kihyun’s cheeks that time, pulling him into another kiss. That was all Kihyun needed to move. Their rhythm was quick, both having little patience or endurance after all they had been through. Kihyun rolled his hips, encouraging Changkyun’s legs up over them. Changkyun clung to Kihyun, moved his hips to meet the elder’s as much as he could. It was sloppy, but neither of them cared. 

“M’close,” Changkyun’s nails bit into Kihyun’s back, digging into tender flesh. Kihyun hissed at the sensation, though it wasn’t unpleasant. Changkyun buried his face into Kihyun’s neck, drawn in by his scent. The elder hunter only had a second of feeling teeth against his throat again before Changkyun bit down as he came. 

Kihyun saw stars. The pinch of pain, Changkyun sinking his fangs into his neck, mixed with pleasure as he reached his climax. His hips jerked and locked, burying himself deep into Changkyun. He could feel the pull of Changkyun sucking on his neck, even as the vampire trembled beneath him. For a moment, Kihyun’s vision went dark as an indescribable euphoria washed over him. There was a closeness about the moment that was nothing like what they had done before. Any other time, Changkyun biting him was uncomfortable at most. 

It was like everything inside of him came apart. Pleasure and warmth crashed into him in waves. Changkyun called his name, but it sounded far off, even if Kihyun knew he was right there. 

Kihyun blinked rapidly as his vision cleared, his chest still heaving. His eyes finally focused on Changkyun, who looked to be on the verge of a panic attack. Blood covered his lips and dripped onto the pristine white pillows under his head as he kept speaking. Kihyun had to think hard to realize it was his own blood. 

“--hyun. Kihyun!” 

“I’m okay,” he replied quickly enough, giving Changkyun a lopsided grin. The vampire wasn’t fully convinced, holding Kihyun’s face in his hands and frowning hard. “Really, I...I’m fine. That was-” he didn’t have the words. He was breathless and caught in the daze Changkyun put him in. “That was fucking amazing.” 

“I bit you,” Changkyun was saying. 

“It felt good,” Kihyun huffed out a laugh, leaning in to kiss Changkyun’s frown away. It was soft and sweet, reassuring the other as much as he could. Kihyun managed to pull himself away and roll onto his side, Changkyun following and clinging to him still. The bed was a mess and Kihyun didn’t give a single shit for once. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Changkyun whispered, peppering Kihyun’s face with kisses, fussing over the other. Kihyun hummed as he nodded his head. 

“Are you?” he asked then. Everything still felt hazy and warm, like he was wrapped up in a cloud. He couldn’t help but smile at Changkyun, one hand coming up to smooth back the younger man’s hair. 

“Are you fuck drunk or something?” Changkyun snorted out. “I just- I didn’t take too much blood, did I?” 

“Changkyunnie,” Kihyun whined that time. “I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re okay,” he meant every word. “I love you,” the elder leaned into a tender, soft kiss. Closing his eyes, he kept his hand in Changkyun’s hair and hoped the other could feel everything Kihyun felt. When they parted, Changkyun was smiling. 

“I love you, too.” 

They fell asleep together, tangled up in each other. For a brief moment, they had each other and nothing else mattered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the sake of the story, let's just say Suho wants all of his kids to be somewhat safe with sex and supplied lube all over the place. Also it's fictional, yes, but please practice safe sex in the real world! Wear a condom!! Mama Nips wants the best for all of you. Did anyone guess Suho? Or maybe the tiny homage to Exo in the apartment number? Or notice that Hyungwon is the one that turned Jooheon? Hmm c: Thanks as always for reading, I love you all! Stay safe!


	12. turbulence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the pieces are in place and ready to move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes hi hello, Nips here again! I'm so sorry for the wait on this chapter! I know I technically don't have to explain myself with this, but I want to. A lot happened the last few weeks- A death in the family, an anniversary of another death, the holidays, general mental health problems, that sort of stuff. I also hit a huge wall of writer's block. While I'm not 100% happy with all of this chapter, I felt like I was able to pull out of the block for the most part. I hope it's still enjoyable. I also wanted to say, I reread all the comments on this story and I seriously can't thank you all enough. Your comments, kudos, anything at all, have kept me going. It feels so good to share this story here and have people enjoy it. Seriously, it's one of the best feelings ever. Thank you all, and stay safe!! <3

Shownu woke to the sound of rustling near his bed. He blinked a few times against the brightness, grumbling when he tried to lift his arm and felt something tug at the bend. It only took a few moments of waking for him to remember what had happened. Passing out in the hallway, waking up in a daze, then sleeping for however long he had been out. The rustling was none other than Jimin again, surprise on his face as he looked at Shownu. 

“You seem lucid this time,” Jimin smiled when Shownu made eye contact. The elder felt his ears heat up a little as he nodded. 

“Feeling a lot better,” Shownu managed, clearing his throat. 

“I was about to take the IV out, one second,” Jimin spoke as he gathered the gauze and gloves he had been reaching for. A few seconds later, a nice bandage was placed over Shownu’s arm and he was sitting up. 

“Can you tell me what’s going on?” 

Jimin paused, a pinched look on his face. Shownu couldn’t help but notice that the younger was avoiding eye contact with him. 

“If you’re feeling well enough, Namjoon is ready to fill you in. It’s a lot, just warning you now,” Jimin explained carefully. His tone was enough to tell Shownu to brace himself. Rest had helped him gain some composure back, but if this situation was anything as dire as he knew it already was-

Shownu stopped and closed his eyes. He took in a few deep breaths before sliding carefully out of the bed, even taking his time standing up again. Now was not the time to become overwhelmed with too many thoughts.

“I’m ready,” Shownu kept his expression as neutral as possible. Jimin nodded in response and waved for Shownu to follow him. Thankfully, Namjoon’s team had the means and ability to keep Shownu’s room protected as well. A quick stop allowed him to change clothes, steady himself, and face whatever was coming next. 

The whole complex was eerily quiet- not that it was always bustling with activity, but now it seemed nearly abandoned. What had happened while he was out? He could remember being dragged from his room and Namjoon coming into the hallway. It wasn’t hard to piece together that Commander Kim had tried something, likely meaning that Namjoon’s investigation had been compromised. 

What really worried Shownu the most was the fallout that was sure to follow. Jimin led Shownu down the hall into a cordoned off room, blocked by none other than two of the vampires on Namjoon’s team. Jungkook was the one to drop the serious demeanor and smile as they approached, stepping away from the door to allow them entry. Taehyung stayed quiet, eyes focused on them. 

“Where’s Jin?” Jimin asked quietly. 

“Guard duty. Namjoon just got back from more questioning,” Jungkook answered, holding the door open. There was quiet shuffling in the room, clicks of a keyboard and various beeps now and then. 

“Shownu, good to see you up and moving,” Namjoon greeted the pair as they entered. Shownu nodded his head in acknowledgement, taking a moment to glance around the room. It had been set up like a base of operations, perhaps more like what one would see in a movie. Computers lined one wall, tables with piles of papers, machinery that Shownu wasn’t entirely familiar with, being operated by Yoongi and Hoseok. “I’m sure you can tell there’s been...a situation.” 

“I want the details,” He didn’t have time to beat around the bush. None of them did. 

“Of course,” Namjoon picked up a file from one table- how he was able to tell he had the right one was beyond Shownu. “Commander Kim has holed himself up in another off site location. Long story short, he has a series of places used for some of the shit he’d been up to. None of them are on record, some are run under different names and businesses. It’s all a coverup, but that’s what Yoongi is working on finding.” 

“Alright,” Shownu followed easily enough. “Why was I dragged out of my room?” 

“Getting to that,” Namjoon continued. “While I can’t find the direct orders given yet, I’m guessing Kim tried to carry out an order to have you taken down. And anyone else involved in the investigation. Kim knows we’re onto him and is trying to get ahead of us. But what he didn’t expect was for us to stop him. You were pulled out of your room as an attempt to arrest you,” Namjoon explained before pausing. Pauses were never good. 

“What else?” 

“The hunters we apprehended trying to take you gave us more information. We’ve been questioning as many of the others as we can, and trying to cut off Kim’s man power.” 

“What aren’t you telling me?” Shownu narrowed his eyes. The steps taken explained why the place seemed empty. But something else was there, hanging in Namjoon’s words. It already formed a knot in Shownu’s throat. 

“We have reason to believe your contact was taken before we could get to him, along with an unknown vampire. Not one of your boys, I don’t think, but we don’t have positive identification yet,” Namjoon spoke calmly, but the worry was clear with how his eyebrows furrowed. Shownu felt like all the wind had been knocked out of him, his knees almost giving under his weight. 

“My contact,” He did his best to keep his voice steady. “You mean Wonho?” Shownu knew the answer. Who else could it be?

Namjoon gave a solemn nod. Shownu’s ears were ringing as he processed the information. Someone had seen him leaving Wonho’s apartment, then. Someone had to have known and reported it. The Commander acted without telling anyone else, meaning Wonho was a prisoner now.

“More information was gathered about who works with Kim. A few hunters gave up what they knew about, mostly that Kim made deals with vampires on a regular basis. Used them to carry out things that hunters couldn’t,” Namjoon explained carefully. 

“Breathe, Shownu,” Jimin’s softer voice came through. “We’re doing all we can to find which location they were taken to. We already have it narrowed down to a few,” he touched Shownu’s shoulder, guiding him to a foldout chair to sit in. 

“We’re close,” Namjoon added. “I have no doubt he was taken in an attempt to get information, but he’s likely still alive for that reason.” 

Shownu grimaced and closed his eyes. “That’s worse,” he mumbled. Even if he had never seen it happening himself, Shownu knew how the Commander worked. His own father had told him to never get on the Commander’s bad side- his interrogation methods were brutal at best. 

“We’ll find him,” Namjoon sounded sure of himself. 

Another voice across the room sounded. Shownu turned his head to see Yoongi standing from his workstation. 

“ID on the vampire taken,” he snatched a paper from a printer and handed it over to Namjoon. “Lee Minhyuk, the house they were taken from is registered to him as well. Two others live there, from what I can find. Lee Jooheon and another that has no name as of yet.” 

“Do you recognize him?” Namjoon turned the paper towards Shownu. An image stared at him from a driver’s license- likely a fake one if he had to guess. Finding it hard to speak around the lump in his throat, Shownu nodded. He could remember that bubbly vampire from the blood banks. He was always nice- if not a bit loud. “Any idea why he might have been taken, too?” 

Shownu shook his head. Why would they take a vampire for no reason? Ideas and scenarios swarmed his mind- including that Kihyun and Changkyun had been in that house at some point. But if there were no signs of them, did that mean they had escaped once again? 

“Got a location!” Hoseok yelled from across the room. Shownu snapped his head towards the other, heart pounding in his chest. “Ass wipe is good at covering his tracks, but not quite good enough,” he seemed proud as he pulled up a map on screen.

“That’s not far from their last patrol area,” Shownu spoke as his eyes roamed over the screen.

“Then that’s where we go next,” Namjoon stood, back straight and shoulders squared. “Get ready to move out.” 

\--

Someone was knocking incessantly on the door to their room. Changkyun growled, still half asleep and clinging to Kihyun. The knocking continued despite the vampire’s attempt at sounding scary. 

“You sound more like an annoyed puppy,” Kihyun commented. Changkyun lifted his head from Kihyun’s shoulder to see the hunter’s eyes were still closed, but he was smiling now. “I’ll go see who it is,” Kihyun opened one eye to glance at Changkyun before kissing his forehead. 

As much as Changkyun wanted to protest or keep Kihyun snuggled in bed- a comfy hostage, he had called it- he let Kihyun up to answer the door. Kihyun dressed quickly enough, Changkyun tracking his movements with his eyes, remaining still as a statue otherwise. If the other man noticed, he didn’t comment on it. 

Kihyun padded his way out of the room, Changkyun watching until he couldn’t see anymore. Deciding that he did not want to be left out of conversation and potential information (and the urge to keep Kihyun safe) he was quick to slide out of bed and pull some clothes on as well. Just as he was rounding the corner, tugging a shirt over his head and down his torso, he spotted who had come to the door. 

Kai, the first they had seen the night before, was there. 

“We have some updates for you two,” Kai offered with a slight smile. “And it looks like we know where your friends are being held, too. I already told the other two.” 

“Thank you,” Kihyun bowed his head, before turning and starting to call out for Changkyun. Instead, he was startled to see the vampire was right there, blinking a few times as he watched the two of them. “Ah-” 

“Your skills are slipping, Kihyun,” Changkyun teased in a low voice. Even Kai sniggered at the comment, covering his mouth as he looked away. Kihyun only glared at him. 

“I think it’s safe to assume you two are better today?” Kai asked, tone playful and light. Kihyun’s cheeks went red and Changkyun quickly averted his eyes from the other vampire. He had known that their tension and stress over the situation was more than obvious when they met the other vampires. “Don’t worry, we all heard you last night,” Kai winked and disappeared from sight. It was like he had warped out of existence. 

Kihyun sputtered in his spot- either from seeing a vampire disappear or being called out on how loudly they had had sex. Changkyun wasn’t sure, but his expression was priceless. 

“He was asking us to come back to the main apartment,” Kihyun said through a fierce pout, cheeks still red. “Found information and all that.” 

As he turned to leave the room, perhaps to clean up and appear more presentable, Changkyun caught Kihyun’s hand in his own. The hunter stopped, looking at their hands together. A moment later, he raised his eyes to look back at Changkyun.

“We are better, right?” Changkyun asked. Kihyun almost deflated, his embarrassment quickly fading away. 

“Yes, we are,” Kihyun's voice lilted softly, his free hand coming up to brush over Changkyun’s cheek. Changkyun turned his head to nuzzle into Kihyun’s palm, kissing the center of it, relishing in the warmth of Kihyun’s skin. Quietly, though with no unspoken tension or fears between them, they got ready to meet the others.

The pair shuffled into the main apartment, several others already sitting around. The curtains were drawn back from the window, revealing that it was, in fact, dark out already. Changkyun hadn’t been aware that they slept as long as they did, but he wasn’t complaining either. 

Instantly, Changkyun was aware of a few familiar faces and a few new ones, as well. The most striking was a stoic looking man sitting next to Chanyeol on the couch. He barely moved, eyes following the two as they came into the room. 

“We were wondering if you were coming!” Jooheon chirped, distracting Changkyun from the new vampire in the room. “I was convinced you’d be holed up in your room longer,” Jooheon was grinning. 

Beside him, Changkyun felt Kihyun tense up. Suho, sitting in the same spot as the night before, looked up from his tablet screen with a raised brow. The head vampire glanced around the room, like he was wondering if others were going to speak up as well. 

“Honey,” Hyungwon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“It’s fine,” Kihyun spoke up and tugged on Changkyun’s hand, making him sit at the same living room table. 

“Well, you’re all here now. Let’s get started, shall we?” Suho was used to refocusing the group, at least. “We found where your friends are being held. Xiumin is currently working on finding the best route to get into the building undetected.” 

“A good start,” Kihyun added. Suho pulled a face, lips forming a hard line across his face. 

“Yes and no. This place seems to be part of X’s more…secret operations, for lack of better words. I can make a guess at what goes on inside the place, but that could be anything from experiments to trafficking.” 

“Like, human trafficking?” Jooheon was the one to speak up that time. Suho shook his head.

“Human and vampire alike. We’ve found it before when we’ve taken down some other smaller bases of operations. Deals with all kinds of drugs, too. I’m sure some of them are still produced to aid hunters with vampires, but there’s…” Suho scrunched his face up. 

“Some bad shit,” Chanyeol provided. Suho seemed like he wanted to put it more gently, but didn’t have the chance. “Everything from what you can find on the street, to whatever they manage to produce in their labs. Been turning a profit on drugs and by selling humans to vampires.” 

Changkyun felt like ice had been dumped over him. The organization they worked for, the one they followed and supported for years, had been dealing in darker things than hunting vampires. Kihyun’s hand found his, squeezing it once without looking at Changkyun. The new vampire stayed grounded, swallowing hard and focusing on Suho once more. 

“It’s safe to assume that many vampires that aren’t outright killed, are taken into custody and used as test subjects. Given that the organization has several branches throughout the country, I think it’s also safe to assume none of them know about this,” Suho explained. “We’ve always done what we could, since we went on our own. I...we never knew the full details of how deep secret operations went, not like this,” he shook his head, golden eyes staring down at the pile of papers in front of him. 

“This...this is just what you found out within a day?” Kihyun asked, hand still holding Changkyun’s. The color had drained from Kihyun’s face, but his eyes remained sharp. Changkyun guessed he was feeling much of the same mix of emotions- guilt, anger, betrayal, all aimed at the place they had called home for so long. He dared a glance at Jooheon and Hyungwon, who had both remained startlingly silent. Neither of them looked comfortable anymore. 

“A brief summary, yes,” Suho nodded again. “There’s more details, if you’d like to read over what we have. What it all boils down to is your friends-” he paused and looked between all four of them. “Are being held at one of the secret locations.” 

“I’d like to read them, yes,” Kihyun’s voice was strained. Changkyun eyed him for a moment. “I do better with details.” 

“No problem,” Suho gathered some of the files, neatening the pile and organizing folders for Kihyun to read over. Behind the leader, Chanyeol spoke up again. 

“I have a question for you.” 

“Chanyeol,” Suho’s tone held a warning. “We went over this,” he looked to the taller vampire, face pinched. He clearly didn’t want the question to be asked. 

“You can ask,” Changkyun spoke up. Chanyeol’s eyes were on him. 

“Do you have a name for the vampire that turned you?” 

“I-” Changkyun stuttered for a moment. A name? He could barely piece together the night it had happened. It came to him in flashes, a face and blood red eyes; blood on the floor that matched. Kihyun screaming. He hadn’t expected that question, or why it was important now. His throat felt like it was closing up, his chest tight. It was like if he wasn’t careful, he would shake himself apart thinking about it too hard. 

The room was fading around the edges. He could still remember the smell of dead bodies surrounding them, of all the pieces they had walked through at first. A sense of dread bubbled up from his gut, twisting in his chest and making him feel sick. Part of him was mad that he couldn’t remember something like that. The other part screamed at him to never look into it. 

“Kyunnie,” Kihyun whispered next to him. “Listen to me,” he, at some point, had leaned in closer, clearly seeing Changkyun’s distress. “You’re okay. You’re still here with us, I’ve got you,” he reassured in soft, sweet tones, letting the new vampire curl into his side. No one else questioned it. 

“I don’t know his name,” Changkyun croaked out. Kihyun had wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his back in slow circles. The elder nosed into his hair and whispered again, something he couldn’t quite make out. 

“Shh, baby, it’s okay,” Kihyun reassured again. Changkyun squeezed his eyes shut tight. A hand brushed over the back of his neck, brief and insignificant. “I’ve got you,” was the last thing Changkyun heard. 

\--

Kihyun had waited for Changkyun to go quiet against him. Hyungwon gave him a sympathetic look, pulling his hand away. It hurt, Kihyun thought, to do anything like this to Changkyun. To make him sleep because it was easier than having a newborn vampire going into a full meltdown from trauma. For a moment, the elder hunter had to compose himself, rocking Changkyun gently and keeping his eyes closed. 

There was muttering on the other side of the room, Suho scolding Chanyeol for asking such a question without leading into it. Chanyeol argued that it was important to know; that he hadn’t considered Changkyun reacting that way. 

Hyungwon had spoken up as well. Kihyun wasn’t paying attention to much at that point. But the name was circling his mind. The name Changkyun couldn’t remember, the name he hoped Changkyun would never have to deal with again. 

If only because Kihyun planned on killing the bastard as soon as he could. 

“Why do you want it?” Kihyun finally asked. The attention was turned back on him. “The name. Is it important to something you found?” 

“It could be,” Suho filled in. “It’s a vampire we’ve dealt with before, one that we have unfortunate personal business with.” 

“Hyungsoo,” Kihyun said quickly. The name tasted bitter on his tongue. 

“Fuck,” Chanyeol groaned loudly. Hyungwon and Jooheon looked between everyone speaking, like they were trying to take in all the information. 

“That’s the one,” Suho muttered. “I didn’t want to ask outright, until we had more information. I apologize for that.”

“It’s fine,” it wasn’t fine, but Kihyun didn’t have it in him to argue. “How is he important in all of this?” 

“He’s the one we were hunting the night it all went down for us,” Suho replied. Kihyun remembered the story well enough. “We had been given the task of taking him down, without knowing much about him.” 

“He was our target, too,” Kihyun looked down at Changkyun, still asleep, still curled up against him. “More than once. The second time, though, we...we didn’t know it was him. He was waiting for us, he knew we were coming.” 

“You were set up,” Suho finished. 

“I never wanted to think that, but,” Kihyun struggled for a moment. He was facing the facts that all of this had been started because of that new route. General Son disappearing, reporting to the Commander, Hyungsoo, it had all been a trap. A trap to get rid of loose ends that the Commander couldn’t control. Even Hyungsoo’s last words made more sense now- how he knew other hunters would come and blame Changkyun. How they would be taken out for such a spectacular failure of a mission. “I-I can’t deny it now.” 

Silence spread around the room. Kihyun focused on his breathing and tried to think of all they knew now. He had always handled issues by refocusing on something else, something he could work towards. There was no changing the past, or going back and stopping the trap before it happened. He had to count on no one accounting for everything they had done. The Commander clearly hadn’t thought they were going to make it after their run-in with Hyungsoo. 

“What do we do now?” Jooheon was the first to speak, quiet and tentative. 

Hyungwon hadn’t moved much, Kihyun noted, eyes on the table and nothing else. This couldn’t be easy for either of them, knowing Minhyuk was in the grip of such a mess. Or that Wonho was there, too. Kihyun felt his stomach twist. He had an idea of what came next and none of it would be easy to accomplish. 

“Our next step is getting your friends out and shutting down the lab as much as possible,” Suho sounded sure of himself. 

“We can do that?” Jooheon questioned, brows raised. Kihyun watched the other young vampire, saw how his hands were gripping onto his jeans tightly. 

“We can do a lot more than you think,” Suho smiled at them all. “It’s time we put a stop to this.” 

“When do we leave?” Hyungwon finally spoke again. There was such an intensity to his gaze that even Kihyun could pick up on it, though it was focused on Suho and the others. 

When this had started, Kihyun had never really thought this was leading to some kind of revolution. Or that he would be going up against the same organization that had given him purpose since he was a child. But here they were, already asking when they would be making their next move. 

This was the beginning of the end.

\-- 

Wonho didn’t know what time it was anymore. His throat was dry and scratchy, deprived of water for however long he had been there. The Commander’s droning voice finally stopped talking at him. A small relief in the grand scheme of things. Minhyuk had stopped screaming as well, but that did little to make Wonho feel better. 

He stared at the blank wall, eyes unfocused and dull. All he could make out was the buzz of the fluorescent lighting overhead. 

As much as he had tried, he couldn’t find a way out. He couldn’t think of a plan, an escape, or even how to help Minhyuk. Nor was he willing to give up any information on his friends. Wonho closed his eyes, drawing in a shaking breath as he tried to think of anything. 

Thoughts of Shownu. Thoughts of better days, when he felt safe and his life hadn’t been ripped away from him. Wonho curled into himself as much as he could, knees drawn up to his chest and hiding his head against them. He wanted to cry again, he really did. But nothing came anymore, leaving him feeling all the more hopeless. 

Footsteps started to echo down the hallway. Wonho’s head came up quickly, suddenly alert to the approaching sound. He braced himself, hands balled into fists. When a figure finally appeared in the glass wall of his cell, Wonho felt...he wasn’t sure what he felt. The last person he expected to see was Gunhee. 

Wonho didn’t dare to speak first. Gunhee stared in at him, hands at his sides. If he looked hard enough, Wonho could swear he saw remorse on his old friend’s face. Gunhee’s hand came up then, reaching for a panel on the outside of the cell. With the press of a button, his voice crackled over the intercom. 

“I’m getting you out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything is lined up and gearing towards the end! This story is coming to an end soonish, as sad as it makes me to say. Thank you again to everyone who has read and commented. You're all the best! Let me know what you think and I hope to have another chapter out without as long of a wait!

**Author's Note:**

> pls feel free to yell in the comments. Thanks again!


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